Iraq

Understanding Justice Needs

We began our work in Iraq through a nationwide Justice Needs and Satisfaction survey (JNS) conducted in 2023 with UNHCR. The study gathered the experiences of 2,640 displaced people and host community members across the country. Nearly half reported facing serious legal problems in the past four years, but only a small share had found lasting solutions, 15% for internally displaced persons and 22% for refugees.

Most relied on informal actors such as family or tribal leaders; only 3% used courts. Women, especially those who are IDPs, faced greater barriers to resolution. Common issues included land and housing disputes for IDPs, lack of access to services for refugees, and family or neighbour conflicts among host communities. Many respondents linked unresolved legal problems to financial strain and emotional stress.

Download the JNS report of forcibly displaced persons and host communities in Iraq.

Housing, Land and Property

Iraq has faced protracted housing, land, and property (HLP) challenges for decades, deeply compounded by cycles of conflict, including the devastation caused by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) between 2014 and 2017. In areas such as Sinjar, Mosul, and Al-Ba’aj, mass displacement, the destruction of land registries, and the illegal seizure of property have left lasting scars.

More than six million people were displaced nationwide, with about 250,000 in Sinjar alone. While around 4.8 million people have since returned home, many continue to face unresolved disputes, lack of documentation, and barriers to reclaiming their land and homes. Women and ethnic minorities, especially the Yazidis, are disproportionately affected due to entrenched social and legal discrimination.

Download our research report on HLP rights of IDPs, returnees, Yazidis, and women in Sinjar.

Iraq Justice Innovation Initiative

Building on the evidence from the JNS, HiiL, with the support of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and in collaboration with UN-Habitat and local partners, designed and launched the Iraq Justice Innovation Initiative to address HLP problems through innovative, community-driven approaches.

Four local initiatives were selected through a competitive process. They received tailored support, including seven online training sessions, individual development planning, 11 one-on-one coaching sessions, four peer learning workshops, five pitch sessions, and financial assistance. This agile design allowed the programme to adapt to participants’ needs while strengthening their ability to deliver effective, people-centred solutions.

The four supported initiatives have already achieved tangible results.

• Dak Organization worked with Yazidi women in Sinjar, conducting a survey to understand HLP needs, training local lawyers, and providing legal assistance to Yazidi women, alongside establishing a referral pathway to UN-Habitat for complex cases.
• Mosul Space created an Arabic-language AI-powered chatbot that provides accessible legal information, helping reduce legal costs by around 40% for users in Sinjar.
• Iraq Law Firm, through its Right to Information initiative, launched an online platform and YouTube channel that simplify and publicize Iraqi compensation and HLP laws for both Arabic and Kurdish speakers, including Yazidis.
• Legal Oasis set up mobile legal clinics in remote Sinjar areas, staffed by trained local lawyers, which delivered services to individuals and referred women to UN-Habitat for legal representation.