According to UNHCR estimates, some 4.2 million Iraqis have fled their homes. These include over 2 million internally displaced persons, many of whom are Christians.

The money will be used to help around 3600 internally displaced persons or returnees by the end of 2011 to build new livelihoods in selected districts of Iraq. The aim is for them to lay the basis for earning regular incomes and enjoying economic security. The money will also be used to fund aid projects in the communities concerned with a view to preventing further people being displaced or forced to leave. To this end the Iraqi ministries and authorities are working closely with those responsible for project implementation.

This IOM project – the Programme for Human Security and Stabilization – has been helping internally displaced persons and returnees in Iraq since 2007. To date over 120,000 Iraqis have benefited from this assistance.

The German Government is supporting the project as part of its broad-based efforts to help Iraq achieve political stability and take reconstruction forward. Since 2003 its support for Iraq has totalled approx. 400 million euro. The money has been used to fund a host of projects in the areas of training, institution-building and human rights.