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HASSAN SHAM, Kurdistan Region — In addition to being displaced many orphans in camps in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region lack identity documents.
In the chaos of the ISIS conflict, many children were separated from their parents. Others had parents who died in the conflict — they were bystanders, ISIS supporters, or opposition.
Across the Kurdistan Region, seven facilities are for orphans. Some are looked after by widows like Nujud Ali, a grandmother.
"They do not have a father, mother or uncle. They all have died," she said.
A young girl named Ruqaiya has a unique story. Her four sisters, a brother and both parents died at the same time.
"I had walked outside to get water. When I returned I saw the house was destroyed on top of them," she recalled.
Other IDPs share their stories.
"When were besieged, there was no food. We had no other option but to come to the camps. Upon our escape, ISIS captured my father. We do not know anything about him," said Asha Ahmed.
Their unknown identity presents a problem as they're unable to obtain required documents.
"I would love to go to school, but they do not allow us. They say you do not have an ID," she said of the government.
Due to the lack of an identity card, many orphans cannot return to Mosul.
"They do not have any identity. Four to five of them have no ID cards. We cannot go to Hamam al-Alil Civil State Department. They will arrest them all," said Ali.
After decades of conflicts, there are an estimated 5 million children and young people in Iraq without IDs.
The Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) in coordination with the United Arab Emirates is trying to find a solution for them to help finish their studies.
"We have opened an office in Mosul," said Omar Ahmed, the head of the BCF Orphan Care Department. "We have started registering the names of those who have lost their fathers to the fight against ISIS for the last three months.
"So far, 10,000 kids have their names registered on the official UAE government's site. As the BCF, we also plan to open an office in Baghdad to register the names of orphans there."
Note: Names of IDPs have been changed.
In the chaos of the ISIS conflict, many children were separated from their parents. Others had parents who died in the conflict — they were bystanders, ISIS supporters, or opposition.
Across the Kurdistan Region, seven facilities are for orphans. Some are looked after by widows like Nujud Ali, a grandmother.
"They do not have a father, mother or uncle. They all have died," she said.
A young girl named Ruqaiya has a unique story. Her four sisters, a brother and both parents died at the same time.
"I had walked outside to get water. When I returned I saw the house was destroyed on top of them," she recalled.
Other IDPs share their stories.
"When were besieged, there was no food. We had no other option but to come to the camps. Upon our escape, ISIS captured my father. We do not know anything about him," said Asha Ahmed.
Their unknown identity presents a problem as they're unable to obtain required documents.
"I would love to go to school, but they do not allow us. They say you do not have an ID," she said of the government.
Due to the lack of an identity card, many orphans cannot return to Mosul.
"They do not have any identity. Four to five of them have no ID cards. We cannot go to Hamam al-Alil Civil State Department. They will arrest them all," said Ali.
After decades of conflicts, there are an estimated 5 million children and young people in Iraq without IDs.
The Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) in coordination with the United Arab Emirates is trying to find a solution for them to help finish their studies.
"We have opened an office in Mosul," said Omar Ahmed, the head of the BCF Orphan Care Department. "We have started registering the names of those who have lost their fathers to the fight against ISIS for the last three months.
"So far, 10,000 kids have their names registered on the official UAE government's site. As the BCF, we also plan to open an office in Baghdad to register the names of orphans there."
Note: Names of IDPs have been changed.
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