Having a civil identity document – a birth certificate, national identity card or housing card – is the first step for any individual to be recognised as a citizen in their country. These documents serve as official proof of identity, enhancing access to public services provided by the state. Without civil documentation, people may be unable to enrol in school, access healthcare, secure employment or apply for social protection benefits.
Decades of conflict, violence and persecution left countless Iraqis with lost or damaged civil documents. While in displacement, many faced complex administrative hurdles preventing them from renewing or obtaining new documents.
Even as the security situation in Iraq improved, many vulnerable Iraqis remained stuck in limbo. Without documents, they faced restricted freedom of movement at checkpoints, exclusion from restitution or reconstruction programmes, and were unable to fully engage in civic and political life.
Since 2019, UNHCR has been working with the Government of Iraq to help internally displaced people (IDPs), IDPs who returned to their area of origin and other vulnerable Iraqis obtain core civil documents.
Through sustained efforts, significant progress has been made.
In total, between 2019 and 2024, more than 244,000 Iraqis received legal assistance from UNHCR and partners, helping them overcome complex administrative and legal barriers to obtain their civil documents. This has led to over 233,000 civil documents issued as a direct result of UNHCR assistance.
Meet IDPs, returnees and Iraqis whose lives were transformed thanks to having civil documents:
Ibrahim sits with his children in Jurf Al-Sakhr, relieved and happy after securing civil documents for his family. ©UNHCR/Karlo Jeelo
“These documents will give us many rights. My children will be able to study, and I will be able to work.”
In 2014, Ibrahim was forced to flee the Jurf Al-Sakhr area in Babil governorate as violence escalated, and eventually found refuge in Fallujah, in Anbar. Nearly a decade later, safety concerns continued to prevent them from returning to their area of origin. This prolonged displacement meant that Ibrahim and his family were unable to apply and obtain essential civil documentation. UNHCR supported the Iraqi Ministry of Interior to organize a civil documentation mission to assist displaced families from Jurf Al-Sakhr. The mission helped many Iraqis, including Ibrahim and his family, secure critical documents such as Iraqi nationality certificates.
Emad at the community center in Mosul after receiving UNHCR support to obtain civil documentation. ©UNHCR/Hamzeh Almomani
“I received my Unified ID card. Now I can go anywhere with peace of mind, knowing that I have a proof of my identity.”
Emad, Internally Displaced Iraqi who returned to Mosul, received support from UNHCR and partners to obtain his national ID card.
Saadyah attends a legal awareness session by UNHCR partners at the community centre in Mosul. ©UNHCR/Hamzeh Almomani
“I care for five children on my own. I am very cautious and make sure they have the documents to go to school and see a doctor at any time.”
Saadyah, Internally Displaced Iraqi, attended a session at the community centre that UNHCR’s partner, TDH, runs in Mosul to learn more about the process in obtaining the civil documentation for her family. She also received legal counselling how to overcome documentation challenges stemming from the fact she is a single mother.
Kawe Haji holds her Iraqi certificate with pride. ©UNHCR/Rasheed Hussein Rasheed
“We lost our home and all our belongings on the way to seek safety, including our identity documents.”
Kawe is an Ezidi Internally Displaced Iraqi who fled Sinjar in 2014. In 2024, UNHCR provided Kawe with legal counselling and helped her gather the required documentation to prove her and her children’s identities – a process that required months of follow-up with administration and judicial actors in Sinjar and Dohuk to obtain supporting document. After Kawe received her identity documents, she expressed her renewed hope for a brighter future for her children.
In light of these achievements, and following the roll-out of the new Unified ID system by the Government in 2024, which facilitates easier access to the UID across the country, UNHCR has significantly scaled down its civil documentation programme in 2025.
UNHCR extends its appreciation to donors who have contributed specifically to civil documentation efforts over the years: such as the European Union (ECHO), France, and the Netherlands.
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