CARE International has worked in Iraq since the beginning of the humanitarian crisis in 1991. CARE International reopened its programming in Iraq in 2014 after a military offensive in Ninewa, which displaced hundreds of thousands of people into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Together with local partners, CARE delivered humanitarian and development assistance to the most vulnerable populations.

CARE is registered with both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Federal Government.

Operating in Basra, Ninewa, Duhok, Salahaddin, and Anbar, CARE collaborates with local organizations to strengthen their capacities and implement transformative programs. These efforts align with CARE’s global theory of change, which emphasizes building individual agency, reshaping relationships, and transforming structures to create sustainable and inclusive development outcomes. Through this approach, CARE ensures that its interventions address root causes, empower communities, and promote systemic change for long-term stability and resilience.