Iraq
Six years after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the country is still one of the top 5 humanitarian catastrophes in the world. Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced. Tens of thousands of children have lost parents and siblings.
Services in many areas are barely, if at all, functional. The country has lost many of its doctors and teachers. Day by day more children are unable to go to school. And every fifth child shows signs shows signs of stunted growth, indicating long term nutritional problems.
Save the Children in Iraq
Save the Children was one of the last international organisations to pull out of Iraq in 2007, because of the deteriorating security situation. Even after we were forced to withdraw, we continued to support 31 local organisations across the country that make up the Child Rights Network. And this year, we have been able to scale up our work inside the country.
We're supporting the Iraqi Child Rights Network
We're helping the Iraqi Child Rights Network reach more children. Thanks to our support, the network now covers 17 governorates across Iraq and has 25 new local organisations sign-up, bringing its membership up to 56 organisations in total.
Together we've recently distributed 8,000 booklets and 8,000 posters in Arabic and Kurdish to raise awareness on children's rights and positive parenting skills among parents, teachers and community leaders.
We're running activities in schools to help children overcome trauma
We work in 15 schools in Sulaymania, Khanaqeen, and Khalar districts, reaching approximately 1,000 children every month with our regular therapeutic activities. We also organise 'Child Wellbeing Days' in each of the schools, running traditional games and cultural activities for a total of 10,000 children. We also renovate and provide equipment for five 'safe spaces' in schools.
We're setting up 'safe spaces' for children in their community
We work with six local organisations to set up 'safe spaces' in nine different locations across in Khalar, Khanaqeen and Sulaymania, benefitting up to 600 children. We've provided the 'safe spaces' with toys and trained staff. Our volunteers are now holding meetings with parents in the communities to encourage them to get involved.
Expanding our work
We'll continue expanding our programme from Basra in the South, and eventually from Baghdad. We'll raise awareness of our existing programmes using local radio and television in 13 governorates in partnership with the Iraqi Child Rights Network (ICRN). And we'll resume our in-school child protection project in fifteen schools in the North of Iraq and 30 more in the south of Iraq.
In the coming months we're looking at improving water and sanitation, education and child protection for more children in southern Iraq.
Find out more about our work in the Middle East:
