We started work in Iraq in May 2003, with the objective of addressing needs resulting from the US-led war and the previous regime and then contributing to reconstruction. Ockenden established with the support of UNHCR its first legal aid centre…
As the article on page 17 indicates, the Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration (MoDM) is responsible for playing the lead role in addressing the consequences of mass displacement and eventually facilitating the potential return of large numbers of displaced…
The good news is that the first quarter of 2007 has witnessed vigorous joint efforts by the UN Country Team (UNCT) in Iraq, the Humanitarian Coordinator and NGOs to address the neglected humanitarian side of the crisis in Iraq. These…
In a region already hosting millions of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees, the scale of the Syrian crisis is putting immense additional strains on the resources and capacities of neighbouring countries and the international humanitarian system. The 3,300 refugees on average…
After the military intervention of March 2003 there were hopes that large numbers of Iraqi expatriates and refugees would return and contribute to Iraq’s reconstruction and development. Between 2003 and 2005, some 325,000 Iraqi refugees did indeed return. Since 2005,…
Iraqis are leaving their homes because of violence. According to interviews carried out by the International Organization for Migration, most IDPs said they fled their homes because of sectarian violence, generalised violence and military operations. Minority communities have been particularly…
Displacement and forced migration in Iraq have a long history, particularly under the former regime. Displacement increased after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in April 2003 as a result of the breakdown in security and disappearance of the state’s institutions.…
Jordan is connected to the Iraqi people by ties of historic neighbourly relations and continuous interaction between the two peoples that we are committed to maintain. We stand by our neighbouring country, hoping that it will overcome its difficulties, maintain…
Syria has offered Iraqi refugees care and assistance, and continues to do so, in spite of the limited nature of its material resources. At the start of 2007 UNHCR estimated that the number of Iraqi refugees in Syria exceeds 1.2…
In December 2006, UNHCR’s revised Return Advisory and Position on International Protection Needs of Iraqis outside Iraq[1] cited extreme tension in central and southern Iraq with a high probability of continued hostilities and increased insecurity. It advised that “no Iraqi…