19-11-2021 | di COOPI

Iraq. COOPI hosts visit of UN Representative

On 16 November 2021, the United Nations Representative in Iraq, Irena Vojá?ková-Sollorano, visited Eitha (Shirqat) where the project "IRISE: Initiative for the Socio-Economic Re-Integration of Vulnerable Returnees in Shirqat, Salah al-Din" is taking place, implemented by COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale, in collaboration with the local NGO AGO and thanks to funding from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

The UN representative, after meeting the school director and the Vocational Training manager of Shirqat, stopped by the focus groups of beneficiaries of tailoring and cooking courses; finally, she visited the activities carried out within the project, such as life skills training courses addressed to 120 people and those on repairs and carpentry, IT, sewing, small-scale farming and gardening, basics of financial and administrative management.

In Iraq, the conflict that emerged three years ago following the occupation of territories by ISIS has left the country in an unstable and precarious situation: with access to basic services cut off, millions of civilians have been forced to move from their usual places of residence, depleting their livelihoods and eroding social cohesion across the country. In addition, the spread of COVID-19 in the country has put a strain on the recovery process, due to strict measures to prevent the spread of the contagion.

In this context, the IRISE project, which started in April and lasts one year, is developing with the aim of promoting the resilience of returning populations through socio-economic re-integration in the areas of origin, thanks to an active collaboration with the host community. In order to continue the commitment that COOPI has been carrying out in these areas for years, the project aims to improve the conditions, in particular of young people and women returnees, so that they are able to enter the professional field.