Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) on Monday, 20 July 2020, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 3 August 2020. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Wednesday, 29 July 2020 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iraq: Minority Groups

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist religious minorities in Iraq, in particular those who have (1) been victims of genocidal acts, and (2) who are at risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and what assistance they have provided to the government of Iraq to assist with the prosecution of Daesh fighters in that country.

Answer: The UK is working to support the rights of religious minorities in Iraq, including those who were the victims of appalling Daesh crimes. To enable the return of internally displaced persons, including minorities, we have contributed £28 million to the UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilisation, which is restoring vital infrastructure and basic services in areas liberated from Daesh. Additionally, we have redistributed £9.9 million to support the health response to the spread of Covid-19 in Iraq. In order to support the prosecution of Daesh crimes in Iraq, we have provided £2 million to the UN Investigative Team for the Accountability of Daesh (UNITAD) and are encouraging close co-operation between UNITAD and the Government of Iraq to achieve justice for Daesh's victims.

Secondary information