Baghdad: The Social Protection Authority at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has successfully concluded a comprehensive workshop designed to train social protection workers in psychosocial support skills.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry of Labor released a statement detailing that Ahmed Al-Moussawi, head of the Social Protection Authority, along with the Director General of the Social Protection Department, wrapped up the training workshop. The event, which took place in Baghdad in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), spanned five days, from the 9th to the 13th of this month.

The workshop aimed to bolster the skills and capacities of frontline workers, institutional staff, and youth, specifically focusing on providing mental health and psychosocial support services in Baghdad and Anbar. The primary emphasis was placed on the most vulnerable groups within these regions.

Participants engaged in sessions that covered key concepts such as mental health and psychosocial support, protection and safe referral, psychological first aid, communication skills, stress management, as well as child protection and addressing psychosocial challenges.

Al-Moussawi underscored the critical need to develop the capacities of staff working in social protection, particularly those assisting children and impoverished families. This development is expected to enhance the quality of services and improve the response to the psychosocial needs of beneficiaries.

The workshop represents part of the Authority’s ongoing efforts to reinforce cooperation with UNICEF and to build the capacity of its staff in areas related to child protection and psychosocial support.