Iraq remains a fragile state in an unstable region, which has been affected by the Syrian crisis and the advance of the so-called ‘Islamic State since 2014. The conflicts in the region have resulted in a high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, thus increasing the population of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) by almost 40% since 2014. Dohuk Governorate alone accommodates over half a million displaced persons and refugees in the 27 camps. A return of the majority of IDPs and refugees is unlikely in the foreseeable future. Even after the official defeat of the so-called Islamic State, the administrations of the host communities in KRI are largely overloaded with the provision of basic public services. Furthermore, people need more psychosocial support, education and leisure activities to help ease the tensions.

In 2016, the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) launched the regional program “Exchange, Education and Conflict Transformation through Sport for Development Jordan and Northern Iraq” in Amman, Jordan. First activities in Iraq were implemented two years later. The in Northern Iraq addresses major challenges arising in IDP camps and in host communities. Due to limited capacities, those challenges include a lack of sport activities and psychosocial support, especially for children and youth. Therefore, female and male coaches, teachers and social workers are trained to apply sport as a tool to promote values and social competences. Sport creates a safe environment, promotes gender equality and enables children and youth to encounter peers of diverse backgrounds and to enhance their personal skills such as respect, empathy and self-confidence. With sustainability and broad effects in mind, GIZ closely works together with local and international NGO’s in Child Friendly Spaces in camps, schools and Youth Centers. In cooperation with the Jordan Ministry of Education, the DOSB and the University of Dohuk, the programme developed a training curriculum for using sport to foster physical and psycho-social well-being.

We invite you to have a look at the following teaching and learning materials, which were created by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and our partner organizations in Iraq. You will find a more detailed description about the materials in our collection S4D Tools for your Practice/Teaching and Learning Materials. 

If you want to have more detailed and/or further information about S4D in the country, please have a look at the following publications.