Addressing irregular migration, combating human trafficking, and strengthening border management remain top priorities for Iraq. In this interview, Fatimah Jarkas, Head of ICMPD’s Office in Iraq, shares her insights on growing government engagement and the impact of Migration Resource Centres (MRCs). She reflects on ICMPD’s work in the country and emphasises how trust and collaboration are key drivers for sustainable change.
Fatimah Jarkas is the head of office of ICMPD in Iraq and the lead of the border management programme. She has been part of ICMPD since 2019, with 6 years of experience working with national and international counterparts, supporting migration components on the ground and developing migration-related projects in the country.
Can you elaborate on the Iraqi context in terms of migration and the role of ICMPD?
- In Iraq, few organisations are working on border management and migration, as this was not a priority for the Iraqi authorities. Previously, Iraq was always busy dealing with specific crises; focusing on internal displacement caused by the security situation, and there was limited cooperation with international initiatives. Currently, there is a focus on migration from the Iraqi government.
- Today, conditions have improved and the government has begun to focus on migration-related topics, such as return and reintegration, safe migration, raising awareness about regular migration, and cooperation with European Member States.
- These priority topics have been addressed over the past five years through the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Iraq, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Aligning the MRCs' objectives with government priorities is demonstrating a significant impact. Government officials are more engaged and share their concerns and needs.
- For me, it was quite interesting to be involved in the process, with authorities who began to trust and share experience with the international community through our initiatives. It's not the same situation as when we started working with the government 5 or 6 years ago; there has been a significant change in their engagement and priorities.
Since you mentioned the MRCs, which involve both the government and citizens, could you please share your perspective on the impact of this initiative in Iraq?
- When we introduced the MRCs in 2020, there was limited interest at the time. Today, the MRCs in Iraq are integrated into the government structure, which shows a strong demand for this service while also ensuring the sustainability of the work.
- Also, for the government, the need for awareness raising has become much more obvious. As Iraq is now in a situation where internal security is more stable, the government is taking the responsibility of ensuring its people’s safety and aims to raise awareness among those considering risky journeys, who might face threats to their lives. Even if individuals don't begin their illegal journey from Iraq, as they may travel legally to Türkiye or Belarus or if they don’t consider the risk of human trafficking. Also, it's important to raise awareness about the situation in the travel country, including potential job opportunities, how to access them, etc. MRCs provide this information, facilitated by open communication with national counterparts.
You have highlighted the role of cooperation. Could you mention some of the key outcomes of these collaborations with either national or international counterparts?
- When we started, there was a lack of understanding about border management — it was perceived as only capacity building, equipment, etc. We introduced the concept of strategic planning.
- Strategic planning is not only about creating a plan for one single authority but involves a joint planning process. This is the most challenging part, as you must develop a plan for over ten authorities working on border management — each with their duties, mandates and plans —and align direction and needs.
- Ultimately, it becomes a national strategy developed with ICMPD’s support, and when it is endorsed, it signifies their belief in the idea and the acceptance of the concept. There was also a positive impact when both national and international levels understood the relevance of sustainable policies, packages, established a special department with their standard operating procedures (SOPs), and assigning responsibility .
- Also establishing four MRCs, two in Baghdad and two in the Kurdistan Region (KRI), to address the high need for clear and trusted information to society, migrants/ and potential migrants, before, during, and after their journey. Those MRCs are established in alignment with government priorities and the MRCs mandate, enabling our services to support the national partner's operational and strategic work.
- We achieved alignment between the priorities of the counterparts on the ground and those of the donor and integrated them into our work mechanism. In my opinion, these are some of the most significant achievements that ICMPD has made in Iraq over the past few years.
How do you build trust and encourage cooperation with all the different counterparts?
- From my end, with a focus on a decision maker and people, it's all about patience. You have to be patient because change is difficult everywhere. Even internally, when we implement a new system, we face challenges. Imagine if it were part of your daily work on the ground, where you have tasks and people come with new suggestions asking you to do things in a different way — it's not easy to accept. For me, it is also relevant to understand their concern and take into consideration the other context.
- Each context has its challenges, and we understand that, so what can be implemented in one place is not necessarily suitable for another. And I appreciate the way we work at ICMPD, because the staff in HQ is very flexible. For me, one of the strongest elements of ICMPD is the multi-international culture. You need to understand that the people working with you come from different cultures, and we respect these differences.
How do you believe the work of ICMPD in Iraq is making a difference in the country?
- Our work is definitely making a difference, because if you look at the situation in the country, the economic, security and political conditions are becoming more stable, and there is a continuous need to maintain and improve its stability, and all ICMDP projects are aligned with the government's objectives in this regard. This shows that, for example, when you aim to improve border management, it will boost the economy while also enhancing the security situation.
- On the MRCs, all migrants in different phases—potential, current, or returnees— all of them can benefit from the project. If you are a potential migrant and need advice, you know where to go. The counsellors will tell you without judging whether an approach is secure or risky. If you are already an immigrant, we are also targeting not only Iraqi people but also foreign workers, and both get services from the MRCs. Returning migrants can also access all the services from MRCs directly. Overall, I see that the project will have a positive impact on the situation in the country.
What motivates you in your work, particularly when engaging with a diverse range of people and needs?
- For me, the motivation is the ongoing challenge, because with every day, I learn something new and I develop new approaches. And Fatimah from six years ago, was different — I have grown and developed my understanding of the various needs of the diverse counterparts who we work with. And this is one of my main motivations, as evolving through different levels truly enhances my capacity and improves my approach to work. Another motivation is that we also provide support for migrants at various levels, so it does not matter what your situation is — we are here to support and will provide as much assistance as we can.