IOM brings government and community together, supports families of victims of Daesh

The inequitable application of Iraq’s Compensation Law 20, passed by the Iraqi Parliament in 2009, has emerged as a primary concern among victims’ families in conflict-affected areas, where the lack of timely and fair compensation continues to exacerbate their suffering.

The law aims to compensate those who lost a family member or property and to provide remedial measures and privileges for those for those who lost or had their jobs or studies disrupted due to war, military errors and terrorist operations. However, many families, already grappling with loss and trauma inflicted by Daesh, face bureaucratic hurdles and delays in accessing the compensation they are entitled to under the law.

This concern, among others, came to light during a series of workshops involving over 80 communities in Al-Anbar, Salah al-Din, Ninewa and Kirkuk hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Iraq, in an effort to find solutions to the challenge of returnee reintegration. The return of displaced persons continues to pose a significant challenge in Iraq, particularly for those with perceived affiliations to Daesh. At the same time, host communities victimized by Daesh still grapple with the trauma of violence and loss, and feel they are not getting the support they need to recover.

"We have taken up arms against terrorism since 2005. Today, our regions are safe, thanks to the people who believe in the unity of the country," said Sheikh Abdul Wahab Sarhan from the Khalidiya district in Al-Anbar. “We need support to help families who are victims of terrorism,” he stated, advocating for the rights of the people still trying to recover and for a stronger relationship between communities, government agencies and international organizations.

“This meeting is a fundamental success," he noted. "I believe today is the beginning of openness to the international community and IOM."

"I welcome the process of integration, peaceful coexistence and the return of the displaced. This is the first challenge. I allowed myself to be part of this programme for the return of the displaced," Amer Tayyab Saeed Al-Ani, an imam in Al-Qaim district in Al-Anbar, who lost his brother in the battle to retake Al-Anbar from Daesh, echoed the sentiments.

He highlighted the significant role international organizations play in ensuring justice for the victims. “The truth is that the victims of terrorism are not an insignificant group. In the city of Al-Qaim, they represent a quarter of the population.” He urged these organizations to focus their efforts on the rehabilitation of victims’ families that require development programmes, psychological rehabilitation and compensation for their losses. Both leaders raised concerns about the inequitable application of the Compensation Law 20 and agreed that solving the compensation issue is key to achieve peaceful coexistence.

In the end, Sheikh Abdul Wahab and Al-Ani both stressed that for peace and security to take root in Al-Anbar and beyond, representation and support for victims must be a priority. Their call for a stronger connection between the government, local communities and international organizations is a message of hope—one that IOM Iraq is working to foster through its tribal engagement efforts.

The workshops provided a platform for the victims’ families to voice their concerns. Through the creation of a victims’ families representatives working group following the workshops, this initiative aims to address the pressing needs of both returnees and host communities. As a next step, IOM will host a capacity-building workshop in Erbil for the working group elected to represent the victims' families from Ninewa, Al-Anbar, Salah al-Din and Kirkuk.

This effort was supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).

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