Iraq

The road to a new Iraq is fraught with challenges, including sectarian violence, widespread displacement and insecurity. Education, basic services and unity are the building blocks.

Photo: Jacob Colie

Ongoing violence has forced millions of Iraqis to leave their homes and communities. Mercy Corps is providing emergency humanitarian supplies such as drinking water, blankets, cooking stoves and kerosene. We’re also helping those most vulnerable, particularly people with disabilities and families with school-age children. We’re helping thousands of Iraqi children keep learning, restoring a measure of normalcy amid extremely difficult conditions and offering a path toward greater opportunity.

Kirkuk Women Are Building Peace ›

Topics: Conflict & War, Urban, Women's Empowerment

Mercy Corps is training women in Kirkuk, Iraq to become leaders and work cooperatively against violence and hatred.

Blog Post: Celebrating peace in Khanaqin ›

Topics: Youth, Sports, Peaceful Change, Conflict & War

Children from Khanaqin released white doves and read a famous poem before a football match celebrating Peace Day.

One Table: Before it was like I was blind ›

Topics: Women's Empowerment, Education

Since 2005, our Women’s Inclusion Program in Basera, Iraq has helped roughly 20,000 women develop basic literacy skills and learn about human and women’s rights.

Blog Post: U.S. ambassador visits women's peace-building program in Iraq ›

Topics: Women's Empowerment, Peaceful Change

Last Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill met with six participants of a Mercy Corps program that empowers women as peace-builders.

Blog Post: Empowering Iraqis with disabilities ›

Topics: Disability

Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki attended the second national conference of the Iraqi Alliance for Disability Organizations, which Mercy Corps helped create.

Blog Post: My meeting with Vice President Biden ›

Topics: Peaceful Change, Governance, Displacement, Conflict & War, Civil Society, Citizen Involvement

Last Friday, I participated in a small roundtable discussion with Vice President Biden, General Odierno, two ambassadors and a Sheikh to discuss reconciliation in Iraq.

Blog Post: Getting to "yes" in Iraq ›

Topics: Peaceful Change, Conflict & War

Iraqis are celebrating on the streets as the U.S. withdraws its troops from the major urban areas of Iraq, but the fresh violence in Kirkuk serves as a sober reminder of a fragile security condition.

Blog Post: Ned Lamont calls out Mercy Corps' work on The Huffington Post ›

Topics: Conflict & War, Displacement, Emergencies

Ned Lamont — former Democratic Senate candidate in Connecticut and Mercy Corps board member — discusses the "Independence Day" aspects of U.S. troops pulling out of Iraqi cities.

Blog Post: From Kansas to Cairo ›

Topics: Women's Empowerment, Technology & Internet, Governance, Conflict & War, Civil Society

Listening to President Obama's speech in Cairo yesterday, I was struck by how many themes resonated with what Mercy Corps is doing in the Middle East.

Resolving Conflict Peacefully ›

We are teaching conflict resolution to people in Iraq; peace-building is a vital aspect of Mercy Corps’ work to create a more secure world.

Share this page on Twitter ›

Share this page on Facebook ›

Share this page by Email ›

Iraq Facts

Population (2008): 28.2 million
Size: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Human Development Index rank: n/a
Mercy Corps involvement dates to 2003
Primary work: Providing aid and employment to IDPs, empowering people with disabilities, helping communities advance their reconstruction and development goals

Program Details

Since 2003, Mercy Corps has worked to directly engage Iraqis in the rebuilding and renewal of their country, while providing humanitarian and development assistance to over 4 million Iraqi citizens affected by war, violence and displacement.

Read more ›

Recent Blog Posts

October 20, 2009
Celebrating peace in Khanaqin
August 31, 2009
Before it was like I was blind
August 24, 2009
U.S. ambassador visits women's peace-building program in Iraq

Recent posts on globalenvision.org, Mercy Corps' student-written blog that explores the confluence of markets and poverty alleviation through news, commentary and discussion.

Declining Dates in Iraq

Donate to Mercy Corps

Sign up for email updates

Featured Campaigns

Featured Events

Portland: Design For The Other 90%
Portland: Dr. Paul R. Polak Lecture

Mercy Corps on the Web

One Table: Help us solve world hunger by investing in the world's women

Mercy Corps

PO Box 2669, Dept W
Portland OR 97208-2669 USA
To give: (888) 256-1900
Contact Us Office Locations

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.

Over the last five years, we've allocated more than 89% of our resources directly to programs. America's premier charity evaluator gives Mercy Corps four stars in organizational efficiency. Click here to learn more.

Sign in