Since 2017, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided more than $389 million in support of the Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response initiative to help ethnic and religious minorities in northern Iraq heal and restore their communities after the genocide committed by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). We are pleased to announce that USAID intends to further this commitment by dedicating $38 million in FY 2020 resources to support religious and ethnic minority (REM) programming in Iraq.

This assistance will combine short, medium, and long-term efforts that will help meet the immediate, life-saving and recovery needs of these populations; restore access to essential services; rehabilitate critical infrastructure; improve access to jobs; support local businesses; and mobilize local and national actors to prevent future atrocities.

USAID recognizes the need to find the right local partners for this work. In particular, USAID will dedicate a portion of the funds to the New Partners Initiative which will focus on preserving the cultural heritage of several minority populations in northern Iraq to include recognizing the genocide inflicted on the Yezedis, Christians and others by ISIS. We are currently working with a combination of over 100 local, faith-based, and international organizations to implement our programs.

For more information, please contact: cmclinden@gmail.com.