Iraq - From the beginning of January through 9th December, 2014, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) has verified 2,086,356 internally displaced people (IDPs) dispersed across 2,049 distinct locations in Iraq.

The DTM is an information management tool that gathers specific information regarding the status and location of IDPs. DTM data in Iraq is collected, analysed and disseminated every two weeks. The data is used by the Humanitarian Country Team, which is now using the figure of 2.1 million IDPs as a planning figure for the humanitarian response.

The latest DTM report incorporates significant changes focusing on data management, harmonization of shelter definitions and data reconciliation vis-à-vis the humanitarian coordination system in Iraq. Three distinct processes are presently under way:

The revised DTM methodology has expanded its field data collection. This includes a Group Assessment, together with a Gender Based Violence (GBV) component integrated in the information management system, that gathers information through a network of Key Informants (KI) deployed at the location level (referred to as the ‘DTM Master List Plus’.)

These tools will be implemented through each DTM cycle for the next three months to cover all locations hosting displaced populations. During this period, each accessible location will be assessed once, while the remaining locations will be monitored and updated through the KI network.

The Group Assessment and GBV Annex will add further clarity to the data in terms of sex and age disaggregation, movement intentions, push factors, sectorial needs, as well as key GBV indicators. This revised methodology will track displacement at the group level by monitoring the dynamics of specific displaced populations/groups with reference to their place of origin, period of displacement, and location.

A parallel process of reconciliation with the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster regarding the location and population hosted in IDPs camps is also being implemented.

Finally, the DTM Shelter Categories have been revised in coordination with the Shelter/NFIs Cluster, CCCM Cluster, and other sectorial partners, contributing to a joint approach for identifying the conditions and needs of the displaced populations.

A key output of this holistic approach is a significant shift in the reported populations per shelter type. The revised DTM dataset, including the findings of the new assessment tools, will be published during January 2015.

Given that 54 per cent of the total 2014 displaced population has been recorded from 1st August to the present (187,686 families – an estimated 1,126,116 individuals) and in light of the distinct displacement patterns monitored during recent months, four observation periods have also been introduced in order to enhance data analysis.

The most recent DTM dataset, Dashboards, and the 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

IOM Iraq

Tel: +964 751 234 2550

Email: sblack@iom.int

Or Email: iraqdtm@iom.int