Working to Improve Access to Compensation for Iraqi victims of War and Terrorism

 

 

 

This principle guided a high-level roundtable held in Baghdad with the participation of members of the Iraqi Parliament, including representatives from the Legal, Finance, and Displacement Committees, alongside the judiciary and the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

The roundtable focused on practical measures to improve Iraq’s compensation mechanism for conflict-affected individuals. With an estimated one million people still displaced within the country, the need for reform is imperative. Since 2019, only 27% of registered returnee households have received their financial entitlements, often due to data-related challenges and procedural delays.

The current framework, governed by Law No. 20 of 2009, has supported many but continues to face significant issues, including a backlog of cases, complex procedures, and inconsistent implementation.

Stakeholders emphasised the need for updated data systems and referral mechanisms to ensure timely and equitable access to compensation.

“The General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, in cooperation with UN-Habitat and the Internally Durable Solutions Fund, has developed a 12-month action plan to enhance the speed and efficiency of processing compensation claims. These steps represent a qualitative leap in improving services and ensuring transparency and justice for citizens. These steps represent a qualitative leap in improving services and ensuring transparency and justice for citizens”, shared Ms. Basma Mohammed Baseem – Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Displacement Committee.

The roundtable built on previous workshops with judges from compensation committees in Ninewa, Salaheddin, Kirkuk, Diyala, Anbar, and Baghdad. These activities, including the present roundtable, were held as part of the project “Strengthening Data Systems to Improve the Management of Internally Displaced Persons Referral Systems,” jointly implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN-Habitat in Iraq, with support from the Internal Displacement Solutions Fund.

Key priorities recommended for implementation over the next six months include:

A draft amendment to Law No. 20 (2009), developed with input from the judiciary, the Council of Ministers Secretariat (COMSEC) and Parliament to reflect current realities.

Development and piloting of a digital platform for compensation applications in Anbar, Salah al-Din, and Mosul to streamline case management.

A COMSEC directive to clarify and streamline the institutional framework of compensation committees.

Training 50 compensation committee staff to improve service delivery.

A national communication campaign to engage civil society and promote transparency.

“Reform requires time and perseverance,” said Muslim Qazimi, Head of UN-Habitat Iraq. “Together with IOM and our partners, we remain committed to supporting this process — through technical design, capacity building, and ensuring that the voices of affected Iraqis shape the system that serves them.

Our aim is to help build a compensation process that reflects justice, efficiency, and the aspirations of a country striving for a more equitable future.”

With anticipated improvements in data systems and governance, displaced individuals will gain faster and more reliable access to compensation for damaged/destroyed property. This means a family struggling to rebuild their home can finally move forward; a widow waiting for recognition of her loss may find closure; a young person seeking the means to continue their education after tragedy may regain hope.

For those affected, efficiency is not a luxury — it is a lifeline. These reforms will help people return to their homes and rebuild their lives, contributing to Iraq’s broader goals of achieving durable solutions to displacement and advancing sustainable development.