Iraq faces significant economic challenges, in particular stemming from its dependence on oil revenue and the country’s bloated public sector. Private sector growth is particularly constrained by the dominance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), restrictive regulations, lack of access to finance, shortage of skilled labour and inadequate infrastructure. This review drew largely on reports by international development partners (most notably the World Bank) as well as policy papers; it found a dearth of relevant academic literature. While there was significant mention of women in the literature, it made negligible reference to persons with disabilities.