Iraq - Over 500 families have moved into the newly opened Shekhan camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Iraq over the past week and hundreds more will move in the coming days. The camp has been constructed by a consortium of humanitarian partners with the support of multiple donors and will eventually provide shelter for some 1,000 displaced families.

IOM, with funding from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, contributed the lead technical role in camp design and construction, and provided the internal electrical network, gravelled roads, prefabricated buildings for administrative offices and a health centre, and private kitchens for each family, including sinks and electrical connections.

IOM will also staff and manage the camp primary health care centre, which will be handicap accessible, and will provide psychosocial support to displaced families, particularly women and children. Activities will include psycho-social consultations, individual and group counselling, and opportunities for sports and recreation, including a playground area.

IOM also provided transport for displaced families to get to Shekhan, in coordination with the Dohuk Governorate Bureau of Relief and Humanitarian Affairs (BRHA), and a UNHCR multi-functional team, which jointly carried out the process of family selection. Most of the families were living in unfinished and abandoned buildings in Dohuk Governorate.

Shekhan was built under the guidance of Dohuk Governorate BRHA. Partners included IOM and the International Humanitarian Partnership, Technisches Hilfswerk and Action Against Hunger. UNHCR held a coordination role. The camp is now fully operational and will be officially handed over to Dohuk Governorate BRHA in mid-May.

Dohuk hosts the most IDPs of all Iraq governorates. Shekhan camp is the 16th IDP camp in the area administered by Dohuk Governorate and two additional camps are under construction. But there is still insufficient housing for the displaced population.

Of the nearly 450,000 displaced persons in Dohuk Governorate, 38 per cent still live in unfinished or abandoned buildings; 30 per cent in camps, 16 per cent in rented houses, 10 per cent with host families, and approximately 6 per cent in hotels, informal settlements, or religious buildings. Of the IDP population in Dohuk, 37 per cent are under 14 years of age. The majority of IDPs in Dohuk are from Ninewa governorate and were displaced in August 2014 due to violence in Sinjar. Their expressed priority needs are shelter, income, non-food items, food and health, according to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) and IOM’s Dohuk Governorate Profile, published this week. 

Saadia, a 21-year-old mother of two and her husband were displaced from Sinjar in August 2014. They had been living in a school, and recently moved into Shekhan camp. Saadia said that she was thrilled to have her own kitchen and access to a health centre. “We bought a freezer knowing that we would soon have a place to put it, and that I would have a kitchen to cook in. We can keep other valuables we brought with us safe in the kitchen, as we have our own lock and key. I am also happy that this camp has a health centre where I can bring my children; they are just 16 months and 3 years old. I will be able to better take care of them here.” 

IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Thomas Lothar Weiss said: “The construction of Shekhan camp was a collaborative effort with our partners and the Dohuk authorities to build a fully functional camp. Shekhan will provide life-saving shelter and assistance for 1,000 families. But over 115,000 internally displaced families across the country are still in need of better shelter. We look forward to working with the government and humanitarian partners to meet that need throughout Iraq.”

During a visit to Shekhan camp, the Executive Director of BRHA Mr. Edrees Nabi praised IOM shelter team technical supervision and management.

"IOM has done a lot for displaced people in Dohuk Governorate. We are happy with what IOM is doing in Shekhan camp. IOM provided internal roads, family kitchens, the health center, internal electricity network and administrative offices. IOM also provided technical expertise to help work through project challenges to establish the camp,” said Mr. Nabi.

IOM Iraq’s Displacement Tracking Matrix identified 2,674,080 internally displaced Iraqis (445,680 families) country-wide from January 2014 through 9 April 2015. Updated DTM figures will be released in the upcoming week.

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 

IOM’s Dohuk Governorate Profile is available at: http://iomiraq.net/reports/dahuk-governorate-profile-april-2015

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