Iraq - IOM Iraq held a migration crisis response training this past week for representatives of the Ministry of Migration and Displacement (MoMD), the governor’s office, and provincial council members from the governorates of Baghdad, Babylon,  Kerbala, Missan, Najaf and Qadissiya.

The training was organized by the IOM Iraq HIJRA AMINA programme, which is funded by the European Union, and was presented in collaboration with IOM Iraq emergency response experts on IOM’s global Migration Crisis Operational Framework (MCOF).

MCOF is an analytical and operational tool to identify and address gaps in responses to migration crises, and to direct the assistance and protection needs of crisis-affected, vulnerable populations. The MCOF is the basis of IOM’s response in Iraq, and is applied to build capacities of Iraqi authorities directly involved in migration crisis management.

Since the onset of the current crisis in Iraq, which began in early 2014, IOM Iraq has trained 75 officials under the MCOF framework, from both the Central Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government authorities; these officials represent the MoMD, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Interior, the Bureau of Migration and Displacement, provincial authorities from across Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region Independent Human Rights Commission.

In the migration crisis, these authorities have an immediate impact on the formulation of response plans. These IOM trainings provide an opportunity for operational officials of the various areas affected by the crisis to come together to share experiences and build a more cohesive response.

Layla Flaeh Hasan, Council Member of Karbala Governorate said, “This is the first time we have shared our experience during the crisis with other provincial authorities and with MoMD. Under the MCOF, we have the opportunity to build better coordination mechanisms to improve response to the immediate needs of the internally displaced persons entering our governorates.”

IOM Iraq Chief of Mission, Thomas Weiss emphasized IOM Iraq’s training role: “Provincial authorities in Iraq are at the forefront of responding to the migration crisis. IOM Iraq is supporting Provincial Council Members, MoMD, and Governorate offices through technical support – including information sharing and emergency response training. IOM Iraq is building a framework in which emergency response actors can coordinate and work together to most efficiently assist IDPs.” 

The IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix identified 3,035,592 Iraqis (approximately 505,932 families) who were internally displaced across the country from January 2014 to 21 May 2015. Of the total, 81 per cent are concentrated within seven governorates: Anbar (18 per cent), Baghdad (16 per cent), Dahuk (15 per cent), Kirkuk (12 per cent), Erbil (8 per cent), Ninewa (6 per cent) and Sulaymaniyah (6 per cent).

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