Abstract
<jats:p>This working paper is one of a series exploring if and how social protection is sustained in situations of conflict. Taking Iraq as a country case study, and focusing especially on areas affected by the territorial expansion of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) from 2015, it assesses whether existing social protection – especially the Public Distribution System (PDS), Social Safety Net (SSN), Cash Transfer Programme, and programmes for people with disabilities – were able to continue operations in situations of economic, conflict, and displacement-related crises. The paper highlights the impacts on social workers on the frontline as they sought to deliver their roles in the most challenging of situations, and the need for support to social protection workforces to be recognised as a key priority for investments, alongside investments in digitisation and management information systems (MIS).</jats:p>