An IOM report published today finds that families who have been
displaced by recent sectarian violence in the oil-rich and volatile
governorate of Kirkuk do not have adequate access to shelter, food,
water and sanitation, healthcare and other services, such as
education and legal assistance.

The report, based on interviews carried out by IOM staff with
695 displaced families, finds that the majority (60%) struggle to
pay rent for houses, which often lack basic facilities, such as
electricity or running water. Seventeen percent live in overcrowded
surroundings with host families or relatives and the remainder has
found shelter in public buildings or in insalubrious spontaneous
settlements, where they face a constant threat of
eviction. 

According to the report, 36% of the families interviewed have no
access to Public Distribution System (PDS) rations and 64% say they
haven't received any other food assistance. Fifty-four percent find
water in open or broken pipes and 18% do not have regular access to
water.

In terms of healthcare, 55% of IDPs in the Kirkuk governorate do
not have access to healthcare services, 48% cannot afford medical
treatment if needed and 70% of displaced children have not been
vaccinated.

Regarding their future intentions, 50% say they wish to return
to their places in origin, mostly in the Baghdad governorate, 43%
plan to stay in Kirkuk and 7% wish to be resettled in a third
location.

In the south-western governorate of Najaf, another IOM
assessment report finds that 89% of displaced families plan on
returning to their place of origin once the security situation
improves. This assessment also finds that 75% of all IDPs have no
access to food rations, although access to water is not a
problem.

In the Muthanna governorate, the largest in the South, water is
clearly the number one priority for the IDPs, with 60% saying they
do not have regular access to water services. Seventy-eight percent
say they have regular access to food rations, even if they are
incomplete (89%).

As in other governorates, a majority of families rent
accommodation that lack basic facilities, such as sanitation, water
and electricity.

IOM has now compiled the first six of 15 governorate reports to
identify and prioritize areas of operation, plan emergency
responses, and design long-term, durable solutions to recent
population displacements.

The first three assessments were carried out in the governorates
of Baghdad, Basrah and Thi-Qar. All confirmed that shelter is the
number one number priority for the IDPs, followed by access to work
and food.

The number of Iraqis displaced by violence since the bombing in
Samarra in late February has now increased to almost 240,000
individuals in the 15 central and southern governorates with 9,000
people on average being displaced weekly in recent months.

Reasons for displacement are similar throughout the country,
with an overwhelming majority of IDPs saying they are targeted
because of their religious orientation, which resulted in direct
threats to life, abductions and assassinations.

Since 2003, IOM has been assessing those displaced in the 15
governorates. Following the Samarra bombing and subsequent spike in
displacement in February, IOM has focused its monitoring activities
on the recently-displaced.

IOM monitors visit IDP community leaders, local NGOs, local
government bodies, and individual IDP families to assess a number
of issues and needs, including food, healthcare, water and
sanitation, documentation, and property, and the future intentions
of the IDPs.

Since February, the Organization has also been carrying out
emergency distributions of food, non-food items and water
assistance to the recently-displaced with funding from the US
government.

However, with no sign of an end to violence or new displacement,
IOM is still requesting USD 20 million to continue providing
assistance to the displaced and host
communities.   

For more information, please contact:

Rafiq Tschannen

IOM Chief of Mission for Iraq

E-mail: "mailto:rtschannen@iom.int">rtschannen@iom.int 

Dana Graber

IDP Monitoring and Reintegration Officer for Iraq

E-mail: "mailto:dgraber@iom.int">dgraber@iom.int