2017 PJ3515 Economic empowerment of Youth affected by conflict in Kurdish Region of Iraq

Iraq in 2017 continues to be characterised by armed conflict, violence and increased levels of displacement. The ongoing conflict with the Islamic State in Iraq and subsequent counter-insurgency operation launched by the Government and its allied forces has had devastating humanitarian consequences. Some ten million Iraqis require humanitarian assistance while around 3.3 million people have been displaced from their homes. These figures are rapidly increasing as a result of the ongoing Mosul military offensive. Children and youth have borne the brunt of the conflict, making up almost half of the displaced population and people in need, at risk of death, injury, sexual violence, abduction and forced recruitment by armed groups. Also, Iraq’s substantial youth population has been hit especially hard by the current conflict: School drop-out and unemployment rates are particularly high amongst this age group. Vocational training in many of Iraq’s governorates have suffered from long-term neglect.