With the US war in Iraq officially over, civilians face a long road to recovery and ongoing protection concerns due to sectarian violence. Millions of Iraqis are still displaced from their homes, both inside the country and as refugees in neighboring countries. While some refugees are returning, the vast majority cannot go back to their homes, often due to lack of security and employment prospects.
The Center has been pressing for help for civilians in Iraq since our founding. Our work helped create the first US-funded program for civilians harmed by US combat operations, the Marla Ruzicka Iraqi War Victims Fund. This fund helps Iraqi civilians and their families begin to rebuild their lives by providing health care, livelihood assistance, and rebuilding destroyed homes.
Over the years, we’ve held training and assessment sessions with Marla Fund staff in Iraq and Jordan, and seen many of our recommendations to USAID and Congress implemented on the ground.
We are determined that lessons learned in Iraq are not forgotten, and that US programs currently providing lasting support for those harmed by conflict are transitioned to Iraqi hands.
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