IOM's 2007 Displacement Review shows that despite decreasing levels of violence, reduced displacement rates and limited returns, Iraq is still facing a serious humanitarian crisis with more than 2.4 million Iraqis internally displaced and some 2 million living as refugees, mostly in neighbouring Syria and Jordan.
The report finds that from 2006 to 2007, 78 per cent of those interviewed by IOM had been displaced following the bombing of the Al-Askari Mosque in Samara in February 2006. However, displacement rates slowed significantly in 2007 with increased numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees returning to their places of origin.
In December, the Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, which is registering returnees to receive a one million Iraqi dinar (US$ 800) stipend, reported that more than 3,650 families had registered in Bagdad and a further 6,000 were waiting to be registered.
Although returns in certain areas such as Anbar province have produced a net decrease in the size of the displaced population, the report underlines that returns remain very limited and in Baghdad represent only 8 percent of the overall number of displaced Iraqis.
IOM's report underlines that 31 percent of the displaced claim that their property is occupied by private citizens and states that the settlement of legal disputes over property will likely become a major issue if return movements continue or increase.
The 2007 report says that 65 per cent of the IDPs assessed by IOM were displaced either from or within Bagdad governorate, followed by Diyala (19 percent), Anbar (4 percent), Ninewa (4 percent) and Salah Al-Din (3 percent). About 61 percent say they fled direct threats to their life.
"The prolonged nature of the displacement crisis is increasing the plight of displaced families," says IOM's Iraq Displacement Specialist, Dana Graber Ladek. "Many can no longer afford to pay for even substandard shelter and have little access to basic services, such as clean water, sanitation and electricity."
The 2007 Displacement Review says that only 22 percent of IDPs have access to regular food distributions. This, with inadequate shelter and poor services are a major cause of chronic health problems and malnutrition among women, children and the elderly, with female-headed households representing an extremely vulnerable group.
The report notes that the availability and quality of healthcare in Iraq had dramatically deteriorated in 2007 due to the continued exodus of qualified professionals, severe shortage of medical equipment and damaged infrastructures.
According to health workers and IOM monitors, there has been a rise in the number of unattended births, miscarriages, and prostitution, and many Iraqis have experienced deep psychological trauma during their displacement.
Despite insecurity and limited funding, IOM last year conducted 16 Emergency Distributions that provided food and non-food items such as blankets, mattresses, fuel and kitchen sets to IDPs and their host communities. IOM also completed 38 Community Assistance Projects to improve basic services in the water, sanitation, health, education and livelihood sectors, benefiting more than 570,000 individuals.
IOM plans to continue these programmes in 2008 and to expand its operations to monitor, assess and assist IDP populations returning to their places of origin. However, only 25 percent of IOM's US$ 85 million proposal to assist IDPs and other vulnerable groups has been funded.
IOM's 2007 Iraq Displacement in Review can be found at http://www.iom-iraq.net/idp.html.
For further information, please contact Dana Graber Ladek, IOM Iraq Displacement Specialist, Tel: +962 79 611 1759, Email dgraber@iom.int