Education after Islamic State - Iraq
Taking an inclusive approach to the rebuilding of schools in Iraq helps more children reclaim their future.
The Building Peaceful Futures program is taking an inclusive approach by addressing barriers to learning for girls and children with disabilities so all children get the chance reclaim their future.
When Islamic State (IS) arrived in towns and villages of Iraq in 2014, life changed forever. Violence and kidnappings were followed by airstrikes and shelling, a conflict that lasted five years and left many homes, schools, businesses and large parts of the country’s public infrastructure in ruins.
Today, hundreds of thousands of women, men and children remain displaced in camps. Communities are still repairing the fabric of their society and the education of children has been completely disrupted, often for years.
Being out of school can have a devastating impact on how children recover from conflict. They’re at risk of abuse and violence, including being recruited into child labour or early marriage. They don’t learn life skills that keep them safe from harm and disease, and they grow up without the education needed to help transition war-torn Iraq communities towards a more positive future.
That’s why a consortium of leading NGOs are working in Sinjar and Hawija — hit hardest by IS — to get children back in school as quickly as possible.
Above: Qandil Primary School, Sinjar, Iraq. Photo credit: Save the Children.
The Building Peaceful Futures program is taking an inclusive approach by addressing barriers to learning for girls and children with disabilities so all children get the chance reclaim their future.
Where schools were destroyed, we’re rebuilding and introducing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems. This includes clean drinking water, so children stay healthy and hydrated, good hand-washing education so children stay free of disease and can continue to learn, proper toilets so girls feel comfortable menstruating at school, as well as good pathway access for children living with disabilities. Simple things like toilets and ramps make an enormous difference.
Qandil Primary School in Sinjar is one of 10 schools included in the WASH project.
Above: Qandil Primary School, Sinjar, Iraq. Photo credit: Save the Children.
“After IS attacked our city, large parts of our school were completely destroyed. Our water preservation tanks were covered in bullet holes, our septic tanks were not functional and there was no safe drinking water for children,” says Summo Shammo Gardo, who is the Principle of Qandil Primary School.
“The Building Peaceful Futures program rehabilitated all of our toilets, drainage systems and septic tanks. We now have new water tanks, handwashing stations and water filters so children can have access to safe drinking water as well as fully functional accessible toilets for children with disabilities. Without these renovations, the school would not have been able to re-open and provide a safe learning environment for children to return to after the war.”
The rehabilitation of Qandil school has allowed 71 girls and 80 boys to return to school after five years without education. And, for the first time, children with disabilities in Sinjar can access a mainstream school.
Rehabilitating schools like Quandil is critical to the recovery of children and adolescents from the trauma of conflict. Ensuring there is a safe place for them to learn, play and form strong relationships with others will bring about stronger social cohesion and long-term economic stability for this community.
About the Building Peaceful Futures program
Save the Children Australia is leading a consortium of NGOs on the ground in the Sinjar and Hawija communities of Iraq. The consortium is made up of the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE, Humanity and Inclusion, and Save the Children.
The Building Peaceful Futures program prioritises those who need it most. Children who missed out on school for years because of the conflict. People with disabilities who suffered without the care and support of their family and healthcare. And women who were enslaved by IS — a deeply traumatic experience which has life-long emotional and physical scars.
Together, we’ve been restoring critical infrastructure like hospitals, schools, community centres, and water and sanitation systems. We’re also providing incredibly vital support for families who’ve returned to the region such as reproductive healthcare, legal aid, counselling, and cash grants that help rebuild lives.