Promoting social cohesion in Iraq
Language courses helped bridge the gap between Arab and Kurdish women from the Raparin neighbourhood of Chamchamal.
Since the beginning of the war in Iraq, in 2014, more than 3 million people—almost one Iraqi in 10—have been forced to leave their homes, becoming internally displaced persons. In response to this crisis, Canada is providing humanitarian assistance, stabilization support and development and diplomatic assistance to Iraq in line with the Government of Canada’s Middle East engagement Strategy.
An important element of the Middle East Strategy was the Promoting Social Cohesion in Iraq project. Through this initiative, Canada provided $4.5 million to Mercy Corps to relieve tensions between, on one side, families forced to flee their towns and cities and, on the other, the communities where they resettled. Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian organization that empowers people to recover from crises, build better lives and change their communities for the good.
Between April 2015 and August 2017, over 20,000 women, girls, men and boys from Iraq’s Diyala and Sulaymaniyah governorates benefited from more than 100 community projects launched with this funding. To learn more, visit Promoting Social Cohesion in Iraq.
Related links:
Smashing tensions in Iraq, one volleyball tournament at a time
Language, the bridge builder in Iraq
From Iraq, with kisses
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