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Iraq hosts more than 338,000 refugees and asylum- seekers, 90% of whom are from the Syrian Arab Republic. About 28% live in nine refugee camps across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
UNHCR focuses on strengthening national capacity to include refugees into public services, and to increased access to self- reliance opportunities.
Over 1 million Iraqis are internally displaced, with some 109,000 live in 21 IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. UNHCR supports their access to civil documentation and works with the Iraqi authorities to find durable solutions for IDPs in camps.
Operational context
Iraq is currently at a turning point, leaving behind the effects of three decades of political turmoil and armed conflicts that deeply impacted its people. Since the end of large-scale military operations in 2017, Iraq has been experiencing relative stability and is advancing towards sustainable development. These developments notwithstanding, there remain protracted humanitarian and development needs and areas with a fragile security situation.
Iraq generously hosts over 338,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, 90% of whom are Syrians and live in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. While some 73% of the refugees live in urban areas, 27% live in 9 refugee camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 65% of refugees are women and children under 18.
With the evolving situation in Syria, refugees and asylum-seekers in Iraq are closely following developments. UNHCR continues to monitor movements of Syrians, including registered refugees across border points. Between 8 December and 31 December, close to 2,000 Syrians returned from Iraq through both the Peshkhabour border crossing, located between Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the Al-Qaim border crossing. Overall, the number of returns from Iraq to Syria remains low and Syrians continue to express concerns about the ongoing insecurity in North-East Syria (where most refugees in Iraq originate from).
In line with government policy, UNHCR supports the inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers in public services in Iraq, including education, healthcare, protection-related services and social protection schemes, as well as increased access to self-reliance opportunities. In coordination with development actors, UNHCR also supports the strengthening of public systems, and provides technical support in the implementation of Administrative Instructions regulating asylum-matters as well as in the development of a new refugee law, aligned with international standards and good practices. Iraq also has over 1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). While the majority live in urban settings or informal settlements across the country, as of end December 2024, some 109,000 live in 21 IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
In early 2024, the Government of Iraq announced its intent to close the remaining IDPs camps in the KR-I. While many IDPs hope to return to their homes at some point, many may be unable or unwilling to do so because of their specific profiles or the situation in their areas of origin. UNHCR supports the efforts of pursuing durable solutions for IDPs, including the closure of camps, as solutions, including voluntary return, local integration and relocation are available to IDPs, enabling them to make decisions on a voluntary and well-informed basis.
In the evolving context in Iraq, UNHCR has transitioned from a purely humanitarian response to a response that supports development approaches. UNHCR’s multi-year strategy 2025-2029, therefore envisions that forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons in Iraq have improved access to legal protection as well as full and inclusive access to quality basic and protection services in national systems as well as economic opportunities.