Second phase of the PROSPECTS partnership launched in Iraq

The Government of Iraq officially launched yesterday the second phase of the PROSPECTS partnership in Iraq, an initiative spearheaded and funded by the Government of the Netherlands. This four-year initiative, with a total investment of USD 46 million, aims to provide comprehensive crticial support to refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and vulnerable host communities across Iraq. The programme is being implemented by five organizations – UNHCR, UNICEF, ILO, IFC and the World Bank –in close collaboration with the Iraqi authorities.

The launch event in Baghdad was attended by senior representatives from the Government of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the Netherlands Embassy, PROSPECTS partners, and youth representatives from both refugee and Iraqi host communities.

“The PROSPECTS programme is a crucial initiative for empowering Iraq’s young people and the most vulnerable population by equipping them with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed. By working together with our partners, we are building a brighter, more sustainable future where every young person can contribute to the country’s development.” said the Minister of Youth and Sports, H.E. Dr. Ahmed Saad.

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs in KRG Ms. Zakya Salih Abdulkhaleq emphasized the programme’s impact in creating jobs and vocational training for youth. Stating, “The PROSPECTS Partnership in KRI created job opportunities and provided vocational training for youth, which had a positive impact on reducing unemployment in the region”. Her Excellency also emphasized “KRG considers the Cash Transfer Project under PROSPECTS for poor and vulnerable households and individuals in Duhok governorate, a strategic project for the region, as it supports the establishment of a comprehensive social protection system in the region.”

Her Excellency Janet Alberda, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Iraq, remarked: “We already made great results in the first phase of the PROSPECTS partnership, but this important work needs to be continued. We need to ensure that true durable solutions are found for all displaced communities in Iraq. People should have the voluntary decision on where to settle, taking with them the education, training and opportunities that they have acquired along the way.”

The PROSPECTS programme is a flagship initiative showcasing the Netherlands’ substantial commitment to put the humanitarian-development nexus into practice by promoting increased collaboration between humanitarian, development actors and the private sector to support Iraq’s long-term stability. The second phase builds on the achievements of the first phase, which included enrolling nearly displaced 4,000 children in secondary education, supporting over 130 refugee entrepreneurs with microfinance loans, and providing essential civil documentation to more than 45,000 IDPs.

The second phase of the PROSPECTS Partnership (2024–2027) will focus on four key pillars:

1. Protection and Social Protection pillar will seek to ensure all refugees, IDPs, children and people at risk of statelessness – including individuals with complex cases – are able to obtain their core civil documents. This will also aim to strengthen legal frameworks to better protect asylum-seekers, refugees and individuals at risk of statelessness, provide legal assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers to ensure their access to asylum and prevent refoulement, along with legal assistance to IDPs and IDP returnees to access civil documentation.
2. Education and Learning pillar will aim to provide refugee children, in particular the most vulnerable (girls and children with disabilities), with access to quality education on par with local community students, and young people with the essential skills they need to enter the labour market.
3. Employment with Dignity pillar will focus on access to decent jobs and economic opportunities for displaced persons and host communities, through enabling policies and mechanisms.
4. Critical Infrastructure pillar will seek the rehabilitation of infrastructure damaged and destroyed due to the conflict, including water and sanitation facilities in schools.

Iraq hosts over 324,000 refugees, with 87 per cent are living in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I) and over one million internally displaced persons, with some 134,000 living in 21 IDP camps in the KR-I. While Iraq has made significant improvements in stability and development, continued collaboration with partners remains essential to ensure a prosperous future for all its people. The second phase of PROSPECTS will ensure that refugees, IDPs, and host communities receive durable solutions, allowing them to make voluntary decisions on their future while leveraging the skills and opportunities gained through the programm.

The launch event reaffirmed the commitment of all stakeholders to continue delivering tangible, sustainable, long-term solutions for Iraq’s most vulnerable populations.

The PROSPECTS programme is part of a broader global initiative being implemented in eight refugee-hosting countries across the Middle East and North Africa, and the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes regions.

For media inquiries, contact:

Zainab Salih, UN RCO Communications Officer – [email protected] or UNHCR In Iraq – [email protected]

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