[{"bbox": [85, 155, 323, 186], "category": "Section-header", "text": "2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 218, 234, 244], "category": "Section-header", "text": "2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [95, 260, 1134, 580], "category": "Text", "text": "With continuous popular demonstrations since 2019, it is imperative for the Iraqi Government to deliver faster on political and socio-economic reforms, in order to avoid a resurgence of violence. In 2023, the global recession, high inflation, and the global food crisis affect the wellbeing of the population, notably vulnerable and displaced populations, despite the high oil price. The Iraqi Government struggles to provide adequate basic services ranging from access to justice, to safe drinking water, electricity, health services, but also a just comprehensive social safety net, employment and educational opportunities for the growing youth population. Poverty is rising (estimated 42% in 2023⁷), severely affecting the Iraqi population and in particular groups in vulnerable situations such as women and children, and displaced populations. This shows in the increase in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance (2.5 million⁸). Moreover, Iraq has a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.686, which is relatively high when comparing with the rest of the countries from the Arab Region. However, when adjusting for inequality (IHDI), the index decreases to 0.554.⁹ Vulnerability is higher for those living in rural areas, as well as for children 0 to 14 years old and for youth.¹⁰"}, {"bbox": [95, 605, 1134, 898], "category": "Text", "text": "These difficulties in delivering basic services and providing decent work to the fast-growing and vulnerable population, are further compounded by the continued challenge of displacement. Whilst the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has drastically reduced since the defeat of Da'esh in 2018 from 5.8 million (16% of the population) to 1.17 million in 2022, the number of Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan region remains stable at around 245.000 persons since 2015. This situation of deteriorating socio-economic conditions for the Iraqi population, the challenging perspectives for Iraq's youth and women, in turn has the potential of fuelling violence thereby perpetuating the conflict cycle. Moreover, the conditions and lack of perspectives in Iraq motivates thousands of Iraqis, including many women, to leave their country in pursuit of better living conditions. The burden of this protracted crisis is particularly affecting the most vulnerable: female-headed household, women, and girls who are socio-economically exposed compared to male populations¹¹. Children too are exposed to threats¹². While statistics are unreliable, it is likely that persons with disabilities represent at least 15% of the Iraqi population¹³."}, {"bbox": [95, 923, 1134, 1110], "category": "Text", "text": "At the same time, Iraq faces a multi-dimensional crisis fuelled by increased climate-related hazards, weak human and institutional capacity, pervasive social divides, and over-reliance on oil revenues with limited diversification¹⁴. The effects of climate change in Iraq further exacerbate the challenges of existing natural hazards, and have already an impact on the country's overall stability. Today, the situation of environmental degradation in Iraq is critical as confirmed by international indices. Iraq has been named the fifth-most vulnerable country to climate breakdown and the most vulnerable country to changes in climate in the Middle East and North Africa region¹⁵, affected by soaring temperatures¹⁶, insufficient and diminishing rainfall¹⁷, intensified droughts and water scarcity¹⁸, water and"}, {"bbox": [85, 1163, 461, 1186], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ UNICEF estimate of multi-dimensional poverty."}, {"bbox": [85, 1185, 512, 1208], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ Humanitarian Needs Overview for Iraq of March 2023."}, {"bbox": [85, 1208, 634, 1231], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) of UNDP 2021"}, {"bbox": [85, 1231, 495, 1255], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ Poverty and Inequality Platform of the World Bank."}, {"bbox": [85, 1255, 1144, 1365], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹According to the GBVIMS 3rd Quarter Analysis Report (2022), this results in higher food insecurity, and more frequent use of harmful coping strategies, which also compromises women and girls' mental, sexual, and reproductive health with life-threatening consequences, including child marriage. Women have also reported limited/restricted access to protection, cash, livelihood, shelter, specialized mental health, and legal assistance while for example 2022 recorded a significant increase of gender-based violence reported incidents (63% more compared to the same period in 2021)."}, {"bbox": [85, 1364, 1144, 1429], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹² According to UNICEF (press release June 2023), since 2008 to the end of 2022 in Iraq, over 9 000 children were killed or maimed. Despite the considerable reduction on the number of reported cases in the last years, the overall number represents, on an average, more than one child killed every other day and one child maimed daily over the reported period."}, {"bbox": [85, 1428, 1144, 1516], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹³ Given that the rate of disability is likely higher in humanitarian settings, it is probable that Iraq's estimate exceeds the global average of 15%. Similarly, in 2019, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stated that Iraq has one of the largest populations of persons with disabilities in the world (IOM, 2021 Persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in Iraq: barriers, challenges, and priorities)"}, {"bbox": [85, 1516, 632, 1538], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁴ World Bank, Country Climate and Development Report for Iraq, 2022"}, {"bbox": [85, 1537, 850, 1560], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁵ UNEP report GEO 6 (Available from https://www.unep.org/resources/global-environment-outlook)"}, {"bbox": [85, 1559, 1144, 1603], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁶ Over the past four decades, average temperatures in the country increased by over 2.5 degrees Celsius. By 2050, Iraq is expected to be the ‘hottest’ country in the region. World Bank, Iraq Systematic Country Diagnostic, 2017."}, {"bbox": [85, 1603, 815, 1626], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁷ By 2050, precipitation is likely to decrease by 25 percent. Climate Diplomacy Magazine, 2019."}, {"bbox": [85, 1625, 711, 1647], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁸ https://www.wri.org/insights/ranking-worlds-most-water-stressed-countries-2040"}, {"bbox": [1037, 1682, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 30"}]