Attachments
INTRODUCTION
The protracted displacement crisis in Iraq remains one of the most significant humanitarian challenges of the past two decades. Following years of conflict, including the rise and defeat of the Islamic State (IS) and earlier waves of violence, millions of Iraqis have been forced to flee their homes. While many have since returned to their areas of origin, over 1 million remain internally displaced and around 4,9 million face precarious conditions as returnees, struggling with destroyed or damaged infrastructure, limited access to services, scarce livelihood opportunities, and ongoing insecurity. Women, in particular, encounter unique challenges in accessing durable solutions - be it return, local integration, or resettlement.
As the Iraqi government intensifies efforts to close internally displaced people (IDP) camps in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI), in the wake of earlier waves of camps closure in Federal Iraq, understanding the obstacles faced by women IDPs and returnees is more relevant than ever. Shrinking humanitarian funding and shifting global attention away from Iraq makes it even more urgent to find sustainable solutions.
This briefing paper delves into the lived experiences of returnee and IDP women, exploring their views on access to durable solutions in the current context. By sharing the voices of women, this paper seeks to highlight their critical perspective and provide actionable insights for policymakers, humanitarian and development actors striving to support these populations.
SCOPE & METHODOLOGY
This paper presents findings from focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with 120 women across Diyala, Salah al-Din, and Ninewa governorates during October and November 2024. These findings are based on 12 FGDs, involving women who identified themselves as heads of their households. The participants included both returnees (65 women) and IDPs (55 women) residing outside of camps. 4 5
Additionally, 15 key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted in November 2024. These included 5 interviews in each of the three governorates with professionals and decisionmakers involved in durable solutions. Participants included lawyers, NGO activists, local government representatives, and community leaders. All interviews were conducted confidentially to ensure the participants could share their insights freely.
The IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons (2010) offers guidance for achieving durable solutions for IDPs in situations involving armed conflict, generalized violence, human rights violations, and disasters. It identifies eight criteria to determine when durable solutions for IDPs have been achieved.