Majority of Displaced and Returnee Families in Iraq Struggle to Rebuild Lives According to IOM Bi-Annual Report
Food and access to work remain the most pressing needs of families
that were forced to flee their homes during the sectarian violence
that followed the 2006 Samarra mosque bombing in Iraq according to
an IOM bi-annual review of displacement and return, released today.
According to the Review of Displacement and Return in Iraq
long-term solutions are still needed for families who have been
displaced for years, and ongoing support for those returning to
their communities is crucial to ensuring successful
reintegration.
The report reveals that, despite security improvements since
2006, life for many of Iraq's internally displaced (IDP) and
returnee families remains a struggle, due to a lack of sufficient
access to basic services and work opportunities.
Link
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"">Review of Displacement and Return in Iraq, August 2010
Some families returning to their neighbourhoods have secured
shelter and education for their children, but many returnees still
say they lack sufficient food, water and healthcare necessary to
ensure a successful reintegration. Employment is also a major issue
for returnees, IDPs and host communities alike who are trying to
build stable livelihoods in Iraq. In governorates such as Anbar and
Kerbala over 94 per cent of IDP families report that access to work
is a priority need. This contrasts with areas such as Sulaymaniyah
and Najaf, where just 41 per cent and 45 per cent of families
(respectively) cite the same need.
Though unemployment and underemployment affect all Iraqis,
displaced families are particularly sensitive to changes in family
income. As a result, the latest report finds that many IDP families
in Iraq are struggling to satisfy the nutritional needs of their
family members amid rising food prices. Health concerns have also
been exacerbated in recent years by water scarcity which has
deepened sanitation and hygiene problems throughout the
country.
Access to shelter is also highlighted as an area of continued
concern for IDP and returnee families. Amidst continuously rising
rent costs, families without a reliable source of income risk
losing their accommodation. The report also highlights that more
than 15 per cent of IDPs are living in public buildings or
collective town settlements where they are vulnerable to evictions
from local authorities. The threat of secondary displacement
threatens to erase the progress made by many families towards
rebuilding their lives, the report says.
According to the report, female headed households, even more
vulnerable to the above mentioned challenges, account for 1 in 8
displaced families in Iraq and have difficult access to health,
legal aid and protection services.
"This report highlights the challenges still facing the people
of Iraq," said IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Michael Pillinger. "It is
crucial for the international community to continue to support
Iraqis through this fragile period of transition."
Though sectarian violence and the related displacement have
decreased since 2006, ongoing support to displaced families is
important to secure their long-term stability according to the
findings. The report is based on quantitative and qualitative
assessments with 212,000 IDP and 66,555 returnee families,
undertaken in cooperation with the Ministry of Displacement and
Migration (MoDM) and monitored by IOM.
The latest IOM report also identifies changing intentions among
IDP families. In 2006, 25 per cent of IDP families interviewed said
that they wanted to integrate in their current locations. This
year, that proportion has increased to 37 per cent. Those Iraqi
families that no longer wish to return to their former
neighbourhoods require help to integrate in their adoptive
communities, whilst many of those who intend to return home or
relocate elsewhere need assistance to do so.
IOM staff in Iraq have been monitoring the needs and intentions
of IDP, returnee and host community families in cooperation with
MoDM since 2003. This vital information helps IOM, the Government
of Iraq and humanitarian partners to develop initiatives that
target the specific needs of Iraq's most vulnerable populations.
Funding for monitoring activities is provided by OFDA, AusAID, PRM
and the Government of Germany.
To access the latest IOM Review of Displacement and Return in
Iraq, please visit:
"http://www.iomiraq.net/iomdmyear.html" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.iomiraq.net/iomdmyear.html
For further information, please contact:
Torsten Haschenz
IOM Iraq
Tel: +962 79 551 1744
E-mail:
"mailto:thaschenz@iom.int">thaschenz@iom.int