The Migrant Resource Centre in Baghdad, along with Iraq’s Ministry of Migration and Displacement and the Ministry of Interior, highlighted the experiences and challenges of victims of human trafficking and the importance of access to accurate information to protect their rights and safety.
In the continuing commemoration of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, ICMPD and the Iraqi government gathered stakeholders on 13 August 2026 to foster dialogue and cooperation in preventing human trafficking and migrant smuggling, the protection and assistance of victims, and law enforcement and community engagement. Partners also showcased their initiatives and good practices of coordinated, multi-stakeholder approaches to addressing trafficking in persons in Iraq.
We need to focus on working on these issues before they happen, we have to plan ahead and engage different stakeholders.said Dr Safaa Hussein, Director General of the Migration Affairs Department at the Ministry of Migration and Displaced, who also put a spotlight on Iraq’s new National Strategy for combatting human trafficking with particular attention to the framework addressing economically vulnerable populations most likely to consider migration.
Dr Hussein also thanked ICMPD for its role in shaping the National Strategy and outlined its three supporting frameworks, noting that particular attention has been placed on the framework recognising that poverty as a root driver of irregular migration. He also highlighted the first year of operation of a new MRC at the MOMD, during which over 170 workshops were delivered both within and beyond Ministry premises.
Emphasis was also placed on strengthening inter-institutional cooperation, enhancing law enforcement and community-based prevention, and improving protection and assistance for vulnerable populations. The event also stressed the work of Migrant Resource Centres to empower individuals and communities through access to reliable information, counselling, and referral services that help reduce the risk of exploitation.
Our message to human traffickers is clear, the law will reach you. And to anyone who has been a victim, know that the state, its institutions, and the law stand behind you and support you.said Lieutenant General Mohammed Khudhair, Deputy Under-Secretary for Intelligence and Federal Investigations Affairs at Iraq’s Ministry of Interior.
His remarks cantered on Iraq's advancement to Tier 2 in the US State Department's TIP Report, showing institutional progress. He also highlighted Iraq’s intensified efforts to dismantle trafficking networks; and intercepting cases before victimisation can occur, with particular emphasis on protecting women and children, and countering harmful attitudes and scams spread through technology and social media.
The observance of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is particularly significant, given the increasing vulnerabilities resulting from conflict, displacement, and irregular migration. Recent trends indicate an increase in scams targeting young Iraqis with false promises of employment, education, or asylum abroad. Traffickers have been exploiting vulnerable individuals seeking better opportunities using social media, informal networks, and syndicates to facilitate recruitment and exploitation. Irregular migration, economic hardship, and limited public awareness have significantly increased the risk of persons being trafficked and becoming victims of forced labour, sexual exploitation and other forms of organised crime.
Combating trafficking in persons is a shared responsibility. It begins with prevention and awareness, and extends to law enforcement, protection, referral, and coordination among different stakeholders.said Fatimah Jarkas, ICMPD Head of Office in Iraq.
Ms Jarkas situated Iraq's anti-trafficking efforts within the broader global rise in exploitation linked to conflict, economic hardship, and the misuse of technology and social media for recruitment. She also reaffirmed ICMPD's role as a technical partner supporting national ownership of the response, while placing information access and safe migration at the heart of prevention.
Among a wide range of services it provides to (potential) migrants from and returnees to Iraq, the MRC has launched a dedicated social media campaign to raise awareness of trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling, the risks and consequences of irregular migration, the rights of migrant workers, and the importance of making safe and informed migration decisions. Elsewhere in the region, ICMPD is also working with governments and institutional partners against fake job advertising schemes; and has produced analytical reports on the issue.
Working with partners in the European Union, ICMPD has MRCs across Iraq – including in Baghdad, Basra, Erbil, and Sulaimaniyah (supported through the Nordic Cooperation on Return and Reintegration in Iraq - NORAQ) ; as well as in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan (virtual), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Since its first launch in 2016 ICMPD now has a global network of 14 MRCs.
