Protection |
UNHCR, guided by its mandate pursues solutions-oriented protection, assistance and solutions for the four major populations of concern in Iraq namely: refugees, returning Iraqis (refugees and IDPs), stateless persons and internally displaced persons. The office will continue to adopt a balanced strategy to deliver protection and assistance, while bearing in mind the continuing unstable security situation which impacts the delivery and monitoring capacities of UNHCR and its partners. UNHCR will work in partnership with the Iraqi authorities, the UN Country Team, international organizations, national and international NGOs as well as community-based organizations.
UNHCR has been present in Iraq since the 1980s. While Iraq is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol it has hosted, with UNHCR assistance, Palestinian, Iranian, Turkish and Syrian refugees. The previous regime had been generous to the Palestinian and Syrians who had settled in the south and centre of the country, allowing them full access to food, health, medical and educational services, and local populations were largely hospitable. UNHCR had also received full cooperation from the local authorities as it endeavoured to provide assistance to Turkish and Iranian refugees. When the previous government collapsed, so did the entire support network for refugees in central and southern Iraq. Many found that once-friendly host communities had turned hostile and some were forced to leave their homes. UNHCR’s workload therefore suddenly increased and the organisation found itself working to meet new protection and assistance challenges in a decidedly unstable environment.
Pending durable solutions through voluntary returns, resettlement to third countries or local integration, protection and material assistance for some 40,000 refugees will continue to be provided in camps, settlements and individual urban refugees. UNHCR has 13 refugee camps and settlements in Iraq, the major ones are in Western Anbar (Al Waleed camp for Palestinians, Iranian Kurds and Ahwazis); in Erbil (Makhmour for Turkish Kurds and Kawa for Iranian Kurds); and in Dohuk (Barika settlement for Iranian Kurds). Targeted assistance is provided to scattered urban refugees Iraq-wide. UNHCR continues to search for durable solutions for refugees who do not have potential for return or local integration inside Iraq. The Palestinian refugees in Al Waleed camp are likely to be resettled in 2010.
Over the past 30 years large numbers of people have become internally displaced within Iraq for a variety of reasons, including the policies of the previous government as well as conflict between the two Kurdish parties, Turkish incursions and the wars with Iran and Kuwait. Since the fall of the former government, a new wave of displacement occurred, particularly after the Samara Shrine bombing in February 2006. The magnitude and complexity of the IDP crisis made it essential that the collaborative emergency response was adequately upgraded to meet pressing humanitarian needs. UNHCR directly engages in those sectors where gaps have been identified and the organization has expertise, namely protection, emergency shelter and camp management coordination. There are an estimated 2.76 million IDPs in Iraq; UNHCR’s program targets about 1.55 million who were displaced following the Samara bombing. About half a million individuals are displaced in settlements or camp-like situations in extremely poor conditions and are priority for protection and advocacy interventions.
UNHCR works to assist those refugees and displaced persons wishing to return. The organization is not actively promoting return but is ready to assist those who approached the office requesting assistance or information. Key interventions will include identifying and addressing solutions-oriented protection concerns (through returnee monitoring, legal aid centers and legal research), providing housing/shelter assistance and providing capacity-building to the Iraqi government and national NGOs. UNHCR has recorded some 488,550 Iraqis returnees during 2008 and 2009 of which 13% are refugees and the rest are IDPs. Some 300,000 refugees are estimated to be in Syria, Jordan and countries neighboring Iraq.
Through Order No. 101, the Government of Iraq (G0I) established the Return Assistance Centers (RACs) in 2008 to manage the return of IDPs and refugees, including property recovery, shelter rehabilitation and other assistance. UNHCR has well-established Protection and Assistance Centers (PACs) to deliver legal assistance and advice, coupled in mid-2009 with the launching of the Return Integration Community Centers (RICCs) network. Both seek to support and expand the reach of the GoI initiatives through provision of legal advice, protection/border monitoring, needs assessment, social and information assistance.
Stateless
Iraq hosts an estimated 130,000 stateless persons, mostly comprising Faili Kurds and Bidouns. Iraq is not a signatory to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons nor the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness but has issued the “Iraqi Nationality Law” (Law No. 26 of 2006) which contains provisions aimed to remedy and prevent statelessness. In particular, the new law repeals the previous Government’s Decree 666 which stripped a large number of Faili Kurds of their citizenship. As a result 25,000 Faili Kurds are reported to have regained Iraqi citizenship. Through the PACs, UNHCR assist stateless persons in accessing documentations and administrative and court systems. Profiling exercise to identify protection and assistance needs of stateless groups have been conducted in regions across the south.