Sinjar/Baghdad – The Sinjar Court House has been reopened with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Court House, which provides important legal services such as administration of justice, was left severely damaged during ISIL occupation. With generous funding from USAID, UNDP rehabilitated this important facility that serves over 25,000 people across Sinjar District. The spacious and purpose-built Court House consists of 25 rooms, a director room, four waiting rooms and one main courtroom.

The project was implemented through UNDP’s flagship programme, the Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS). Since 2015, USAID has contributed around US $400 million to FFS, including over $10 million in Sinjar, making it the FFS programme’s leading partner.

To date, USAID has supported around 900 FFS rehabilitation projects, including critical water and electrical infrastructure, as well as schools, housing, and health facilities.

“The reopening of this facility is an important milestone in the journey to rebuild Sinjar and for the rule of law to prevail in the area. Rehabilitating critical infrastructure and restoring essential services such as the Sinjar Court House is key to creating a safe and dignified environment for families choosing to return to Sinjar. Especially, through USAID’s support, UNDP has been able to prioritize support to the Yazidi survivors of genocide as they return and rebuild their lives after years of conflict and trauma,” says UNDP Resident Representative in Iraq, Zena Ali Ahmad.

"Restoring access to the judicial system is a critical component of the recovery process. The reopening of the Sinjar Court House is therefore a beacon of hope for the entire Yazidi community. USAID is proud of our work to rehabilitate this essential infrastructure, offering legal services and law enforcement to the residents of Sinjar," said USAID Mission Director to Iraq, John Cardenas.

“We are here today because of the generous funding provided by USAID. As one of the founding partners of FFS, USAID has made generous contributions to Sinjar and to stabilization in Iraq,” added Ms. Ahmad.

Since 2015, FFS has worked with the Government of Iraq and local actors to ensure safe, dignified, and voluntary returns and to lay the foundation for the successful reintegration of displaced populations into the community. To date, around 3,100 projects have been completed across the five governorates liberated from ISIL, improving the lives of more than 8 million Iraqis.

Media contact:

Mrinalini Santhanam, mrinalini.santhanam@undp.org, +964 790 193 1308