KRG Acts to Document Orphans in Care
Erbil orphanages offer hope to children without parents or legal ID, helping many obtain documents and access education. Supported by the KRG, efforts focus on legal aid, schooling, and care, empowering 59 children—many still awaiting official ID—to build brighter futures.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — In the heart of Erbil, local orphanages have become more than just a place of shelter. For dozens of children deprived of parental care and legal identity, it is a sanctuary of hope, education, and transformation.
"I've been here for four years. I didn't have any legal documents, but the staff helped me obtain them. Now, I attend a private school. I'm learning well. I'm grateful to all my teachers," one young resident told Kurdistan24’s correspondent Shayma Bayiz. The child, who has lived at the orphanage since the age of four, is one of many who have found safety, care, and purpose within the institution.
The Erbil orphanage is part of a network of child welfare facilities supported by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Through targeted development projects and institutional reforms, the KRG continues to expand services to ensure vulnerable children are not deprived of their basic rights, including education, healthcare, and legal documentation.
Officials confirm that one of the most urgent and consistent challenges facing these facilities is the lack of official documentation for many of the children upon arrival. Without identity papers, access to public services, particularly education, becomes extremely difficult.
Sherwan Abdulrahman Hussein, an official with the General Directorate of Social Development and Welfare Supervision – Erbil Branch, emphasized the bureaucratic complexity involved in resolving these issues. "There are several legal steps required to obtain a personal ID card, including procedures through the courts and the public prosecutor's office," he explained.
"Unfortunately, most of the children who are brought here do not possess identity cards, or they have never been issued one. But with the support of the Ministry of Education and the courts, we try to ensure that they are not deprived of their right to education," Hussein said.
According to him, the Directorate enrolls children in schools using special authorization letters while pursuing legal channels to obtain permanent identification. "The most important step is securing a letter from the court and the Ministry of Education that allows the children to continue their education while the legal process for issuing their identity cards is ongoing."
Official data from the General Directorate reveals that the Erbil orphanage currently cares for 59 children — 35 boys and 24 girls. Among these, 15 boys and 17 girls are still without personal documentation. Nonetheless, the impact of ongoing legal efforts is significant: 19 undocumented children have gained access to education in the past year alone.
These efforts underscore a broader commitment by local authorities and civil society to restore dignity and opportunity to Iraq’s most vulnerable. While legal recognition remains a work in progress for many, the commitment of the orphanage staff, educators, and government officials continues to empower children with the tools they need to build a better future.
For the children of the Erbil orphanage, the journey may be long, but the foundation of care and education is now firmly in place — providing not just survival, but the chance to thrive.
