Work, Shelter and Food Top Needs of Iraq's Internally Displaced
Shelter, food and employment remain the most pressing needs of most
of the 1.6 million people forced to flee their homes three and half
years since the 2006 bombing of the Samarra mosque in Iraq that
triggered one of the worst displacement crises in recent times.
Releasing its bi-annual profiles of internal displacement
throughout Iraq's 18 governorates today, IOM has found that across
the board, the three issues remain the most common concerns of
nearly 224,000 internally displaced (IDP) families that it has
assessed so far.
IDP families in Diyala and Baghdad – where 58 per cent and
60 per cent respectively are without a source of income – are
in a relatively comfortable situation compared to displaced
families elsewhere. Unemployment figures among IDP families are
significantly higher in the other governorates with those in Kirkuk
(99 per cent), Qadissiya (97 per cent), Basrah (94 per cent) and
Wassit (89.4 per cent) the worst affected.
In Anbar, IOM monitors report increasing numbers of children
leaving school to help support their families through begging,
petty trade or doing the odd job.
The lack of income and continuously rising rents have meant that
for more than half of the assessed IDP families, the fear of losing
what roof they have over their heads is constant and consuming.
IOM's governorate profiles highlight the particularly difficult
situation that female-headed IDP households are in, unable usually
to advocate for themselves and their children. In Baghdad, more
than 90 per cent of female-headed households are unemployed.
On average, one in ten IDP families in Iraq is headed by a woman
but some governorates have significantly higher averages. In
Qadissiya, where the average of female-headed families is 18 per
cent, one district has nearly 40 per cent of IDP families led by a
woman while in Diyala, monitors cite an area where nearly a quarter
of the IDP families are female-headed, all dependent on charity to
survive.
Food has consequently become a key need. Although the public
distribution system (PDS) which provides food and fuel rations to
Iraqis is reaching many IDP families, it is not reaching the great
majority of those in governorates such as Erbil, Sulaymaniyah,
Dahuk and Basrah. In others, although some distributions are
occurring, it is erratic. In Ninewa, 79.1 per cent of IDP families
receive food irregularly while in Qadissiya, the figure is nearly
53 per cent.
Anecdotal reports from monitors suggest that IDP women are
particularly vulnerable to becoming involved in prostitution and
trafficking as a result.
Water too is emerging as a growing issue. In Muthana, more than
half the displaced get their water from rivers, lakes or streams,
posing a major health risk. The lack of access to clean water and
the ensuing health problems was also highlighted in other
governorates such as Anbar and Kirkuk, where the problem is
exacerbated by distances to nearest health facilities.
However, drought has also become the cause of displacement
rather than violence in areas such as Ninewa and Salah al-din.
The profiles also reveal a highly youthful IDP population. With
at least half of the IDP population under 18 years of age,
providing education has become a major challenge either due to
ageing or damaged school facilities or because of overcrowding. In
some areas, such as a village in Babylon, one school for 400 pupils
has now 700 children, forcing the school to run three shifts a
day.
Although the IOM governorate profiles focus on the situation of
the displaced, it also identifies the priority needs of the more
than 55,000 families assessed by the Organization who have returned
to their former home governorates, towns or villages. With most of
the returnees going back to Baghdad, Diyala, Anbar, Kirkuk and
Ninewa, their concerns are not dissimilar to those still displaced.
Food, non-food items, fuel, shelter and employment are the main
short- and long-term needs as many returnees have come home to find
their homes destroyed or taken over by others and are without a
livelihood. Their situation has highlighted the need for
durable solutions to be found, especially as many IDPs say they
want to return home.
The profiles reveal that despite improved security in most
places in Iraq, without work, their own home, schooling for
children, access to water, electricity and health care, life for
the vast majority of Iraq's internally displaced and for those
returning home continues to be a bitter struggle.
To access the profiles, please go to:
For further information, please contact:
Rex Alamban
IOM Iraq
Tel: 962-79-906-1779
E-mail:
"mailto:ralamban@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">ralamban@iom.int