XCEPT Briefing Note: The status of Iraqi children of ISIS-affiliated families outside of Jeddah 1 rehabilitation center
By Dr Joana Cook
Iraq currently hosts over one million internally displaced persons (IDPs). The majority of these IDPs were displaced during the conflict with ISIS, and among this population there is a notable proportion of ISIS-affiliated families.
This Briefing Note assesses the diverse needs of war-affected children in Iraq, highlighting the specific challenges faced by those in ISIS-affiliated families. It offers recommendations to support the reintegration and rehabilitation of these children in order to mitigate the long-term effects of ISIS’ reign and promote individual and community recovery.
Al-Hol camp, Syria. Credit: Shutterstock/Trent Inness.
Key Findings:
Recent attention has tended to focus on Iraqi ISIS-affiliated families returning from al-Hol through J1, while overlooking ISIS-affiliated families who remained in Iraq.
ISIS-affiliated families in Iraq in IDP camps have many of the same needs as those returning from al-Hol, though to differing degrees.
Successful reintegration of ISIS-affiliated families is contingent upon also addressing the needs of conflict-affected IDPs who were not associated with the group.
This publication was produced as part of the XCEPT programme, a programme funded by UK International Development from the UK government. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.
