Attachments
$101,900,000 Funding Required
1,508,136 People Targeted
552 Entities Targeted
IOM VISION
The Government of Iraq is supported to develop and implement inclusive strategies towards well-man-aged migration, as well as recovery, peacebuilding and stabilization initiatives that address root causes of displacement and support durable solutions. Migrants, displaced populations, returnees and host communities in Iraq are able to exercise their rights in an inclusive and equitable environment.
CONTEXT ANALYSIS
The humanitarian context in Iraq entered a new stage after the official end of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) crisis in December 2017 and years of violent conflict and massive displacement of populations. The post-conflict period has seen the gradual return of more than 4.97 million people to their areas of origin, but, according to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) as of 30 September 2022, about 1.17 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) still remain displaced in camps, out-of-camp settlements and host communities.
Iraq is facing three overlapping crises concurrently. Years of violent conflict has led to protracted displacement and significant humanitarian challenges; political instability and unrest, compounded by regional tensions, including on natural resources, has heightened fragility and the risk of backsliding into conflict; COVID-19 has compounded these issues exacerbating accumulated challenges and acting as a threat multiplier. At the same time, armed groups and UN sanctioned groups, namely ISIL and affiliated groups, are still operating in Iraq.
The humanitarian context is expected to continue evolving in 2023, in line with the trends witnessed during 2021 and 2022. Displaced populations are facing protracted displacement and are often unable or prevented from returning due to inconducive conditions in their areas of origin (AoO), including lack of safety or resistance from other community members, or lack of means to live in safe and dignified conditions and achieve durable solutions. Meanwhile, the decision taken by the Government of Iraq (GoI) to move toward the closure and reclassification of IDP camps as informal sites in all affected governorates except for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has led to departure of many households from the camps. This has led to premature returns to areas where conditions are still severe (as per IOM DTM’s Return Index), or to situations of secondary displacement, especially to informal displacement sites where IDPs have little access to public services or other forms of assistance. Here, women and youth headed households are increasingly vulnerable and in need of targeted humanitarian and protection assistance.
The camp closures have been conducted with a lack of coordination with humanitarian actors and not in line with protection standards and the Principled Returns framework. Households who have returned are often facing, on top of existing vulnerabilities, a lack of access to basic services, including health, psychosocial and protection services, and livelihood opportunities; challenges related to safety and social cohesion; and lack of safe and dignified housing. In some instances, households have returned to areas highly affected by intra-group violence. Returning IDPs with perceived affiliation to extremist groups such as ISIL might be exposed to harassment or retaliatory attacks, which might, in turn, reignite community violence. Moreover, IDPs who want to return also often face issues related to house, land and property rights, and general access to documentation and public services. Secondary displacement to non-camp areas stretches the absorption capacity of the often already vulnerable host communities and jeopardizes social cohesion. This challenge also affects areas where refugees from Syria, Iran and Turkey mainly hosted in the KRI are also residing.
Economic conditions, in general, remain challenging in Iraq, with lack of competitiveness of various sectors of the economy, the impact of the conflict and displacement, and other longstanding issues combined with more recent challenges such as the early 2020 dramatic decline in oil prices and the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic leading to jobs and revenue losses, which disproportionally affects women. Iraq is also facing increasing challenges related to water scarcity and droughts, impacting living conditions and livelihoods of affected populations. This has a direct impact on displacement, sustainability of returns and social cohesion in areas which were affected by the conflict.
IOM’s interventions contribute to lifesaving, humanitarian aid, along with reducing the impact of the political, social, security and economic destabilizing factors that could derail the transition, recovery and reconciliation process, and hence, contribute to a sustainable, stable and regulated environment that paves the way towards recovery, durable solutions and long-term peace.