In Iraq, the APC project works through our grantee, International Medical Corps (IMC), to:
- Improve the Essential Package of Primary Health Care Services to minority populations in the Ninewa Plains.
- Strengthen and integrate mental health and psychosocial services, post-traumatic treatment for children, and sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) services.
- Develop and implement a formal handover process for service providers.
The project operates in six primary health care centers and one secondary facility in underserved locations where minorities and other conflict-affected communities face limited access to essential services.
The GBV programming creates appropriate spaces within facilities for service provision and links these efforts to outreach in the community and in homes where women and men often feel more comfortable sharing their need for support. Community mobilizers are trained on basic concepts and referral pathways, case identification, safety audits, and community mobilization before going into communities to disseminate GBV prevention messages.
Staff learn to understand GBV guiding principles and the relationship between power and violence, which helps facilitate confidential referral of GBV survivors. In February 2019, staff noticed a new trend in Wana and Mowafaqiya, where more survivors began to consent to share information as they developed more trust with service providers. APC also anticipates an increase in patient consultations now that the rehabilitation of designated case management rooms has been completed.