Iraq - IOM is working with Government of Iraq in response to displacement caused by the ongoing conflict. This includes providing assistance to recently displaced people in Baghdad Governorate.

According to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) published yesterday (6/1), from 12-26 March some 27,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) arrived in Baghdad Governorate, the majority in Abu Ghraib district.

Most were originally displaced from Anbar Governorate (over 26,000 people) and Salah al-Din Governorate (over 1,000 people). The new arrivals joined the over 325,000 IDPs already in Baghdad Governorate.

Some 96% of the total displaced population are living in private accommodation, including rentals, hotels and with host families. Another 3% are in critical shelter arrangements, mainly public and unfinished buildings, and 1% are in camps.

Their Governorates of origin are Anbar (48%), Ninewa (15%), Salah al-Din (14%), Baghdad (13%) and Diyala (6%), with smaller groups from Babylon and Kirkuk.

IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Thomas Lothar Weiss attended an IOM distribution of 200 family non-food relief item (NFI) kits last week in Al-Adhamiya, Baghdad. The kits included mattresses, pillows, blankets, towels, heaters, cooking stoves, cabinets and hygiene kits. 

Also attending the distribution were Deputy Minister of Migration and Displacement Salam Al-Khafaji, Chairman of Baghdad Provincial Council Riyadh Al-Addadh, representatives of the provincial and local council, and religious leaders.

Attendees spoke with IDPs about their experiences and challenges, and then met to discuss the humanitarian response and plan upcoming assessments. The need to support the IDPs with livelihoods programming, psychosocial services, IDP camp materials and return assistance was widely recognized.

IOM has distributed some 3,500 family NFI kits in Baghdad Governorate this year – part of over 105,000 kits it has distributed to vulnerable IDPs country-wide since January 2014.

Distributions take place in close cooperation with government authorities, who identify vulnerable people and facilitate access for delivery of emergency relief supplies.

Ismael Saud, his wife and two children were displaced by conflict from their home in Baghdad Governorate in 2014. “I paid all of the money I have for rent. I don't have spare money to buy necessary household items. Finding a place for me and my family to live was the most important. These (NFI) materials are very helpful for us and we are thankful to IOM," he said.

IOM Chief of Mission Weiss noted: “The need for immediate response and enhanced support to cope with the massive displacement crisis in Iraq is clear. In Baghdad Governorate, and all over Iraq, displaced people and the communities supporting them are in desperate need of comprehensive humanitarian assistance.”

“IOM Iraq strives to provide a range of services: non-food item kits, shelter, livelihoods assistance, primary health care and psychosocial assistance to help displaced people regain dignity in their lives. We stand ready to work with the government and partners to build a shared understanding of the scope of the crisis, develop a joint response to provide continued humanitarian assistance, and prepare for expected future mass displacement and returns, as access, resources and the security situation allow,” he added.

IOM Iraq’s most recent Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), published yesterday, identified 2,683,668 Iraqis (447,278 families) internally displaced country-wide from January 2014 through 26 March 2015.

Baghdad Governorate had the sixth largest IDP population in 2014, after the Governorates of Dohuk, Anbar, Kirkuk, Erbil and Ninewa.

The most recent IOM Iraq DTM dataset, Dashboards, and Dynamic Displacement Map, in addition to previous DTM products, can be found at: http://iomiraq.net/dtm-page

For more information please contact Sandra Black at IOM Iraq, Tel: +964 751 234 2550, Email: sblack@iom.int