This booklet documents what the Kaka’i religious community in the district of Daquq, south-east of Kirkuk, has endured from early June to late November 2020 under the COVID-19 pandemic. This booklet is composed of two sections, one in Arabic and one in English, that contain twenty-four authentic journalistic pieces produced by the team of journalists at KirkukNow.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, particularly underprivileged groups such as religious minorities in Iraq. The economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic has been devastating to religious communities such as the Kaka’i. Members of this community in Daquq are particularly exposed to the e ects of COVID-19 due to instability, economic problems and marginalization. Responding swiftly to the needs for the Kaka’i and other religious minorities in Iraq, while ensuring that humanitarian and recovery assistance reaches those most in need, is critical.
This project would not have been possible without the dedicated support from the Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development (CREID). I hope this booklet is widely read and the relevant stakeholders bene t from the reliable information produced by journalists to help build an inclusive, democratic, and peaceful Iraq.
Salam Omer, Editor-in-Chief, KirkukNow