IDP Movement Intentions Study Dohuk Governorate August 2017
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IDP MOVEMENT INTENTIONS STUDY DOHUK GOVERNORATE AUGUST 2017 Location Kurdistan Region of Iraq Month, Year August 2017 Author Chris Stadler / Programs Unit WHH Iraq Study Area Duhok Governorate WELTHUNGRHILFE IRAQ IDP INTENTIONS SURVEY AUGUST 2017 CONTENTS LIST OF ACRONYMS 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 INTRODUCTION 4 KEY FINDINGS 4 INTRODUCTION TO STUDY 9 STUDY DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES 9 STUDY FINANCING 9 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 9 LITERATURE REVIEW 9 RESEARCH TOOLS 13 IDP HOUSEHOLD SAMPLE SIZE 14 SURVEY AREA SELECTION 15 SURVEY SCHEDULE 16 SURVEYED HOUSEHOLDS 17 RESEARCH LIMITATIONS 18 ANALYSIS OF IDP HOUSEHOLDS 19 OVERVIEW 19 IDP HOUSEHOLD PROFILE 20 PRE-DISPLACEMENT SITUATION 26 POST-DISPLACEMENT SITUATION 33 AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON AREA OF ORIGIN 60 VOLUNTARY RETURN INTENTIONS 74 ALTERNATIVE MOVEMENT INTENTIONS 90 ASSISTANCE REQUESTED 102 RECOMMENDATIONS 112 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 112 2 WELTHUNGRHILFE IRAQ IDP INTENTIONS SURVEY AUGUST 2017 LIST OF ACRONYMS AOD — Area of Displacement AOO — Area of Origin CIHL — Customary International Humanitarian Law DTM — Displacement Tracking Matrix GiZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit/ German Development Agency) HH — Household HoH — Head of Household IHRP — Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan IASC — Inter Agency Standing Committee ICRC — International Committee of the Red Cross IDP — Internally Displaced Person IED — Improvised Explosive Device ISF — Iraqi Security Forces ISIL — Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant IOM — International Organization of Migration KSF — Kurdish Security Forces KRG — Kurdish Regional Government KRI — Kurdistan Region of Iraq OCHA — Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs PDS — Public Distribution System UXO — Unexploded Ordinance UN — United Nations WHH — Welthungerhilfe 3 WELTHUNGRHILFE IRAQ IDP INTENTIONS SURVEY AUGUST 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION The emergence of the armed opposition group, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in late 2013 and its subsequent takeover over much of the Iraq’s Western and Northern territory in 2014 led to one of the worst ongoing humanitarian crises in country’s modern history. As of July 2017, over 3 million IDPs are displaced throughout the Republic of Iraq, making them the third largest IDP population in world after Syria (7.6 million) and Colombia (6 million). The Kurdish Region of Iraq (hereafter KRI), a semi-autonomous region in Northern Iraq consisting of Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah Governorates, currently hosts an estimated 145,000 IDP households (approximately 875,000 individuals) that were mostly displaced due to the emergence of and conflict with ISIL.1 The majority of IDP households originate from the surrounding Ninewa, Anbar, Salah Al Din, and Diyala Governorates that border the KRI. Since late 2014, Iraqi and Kurdish Security Forces have retaken areas from ISIL, enabling the return of many IDP households (approximately 1.9 million IDP individuals to date).2 On October 17th 2016, Iraqi and Kurdish security forces launched joint military operations to retake the remaining areas in Iraq still under ISIL control. After enduring three years of displacement, many IDP households will be able to consider returning to their origins as more areas are retaken and become accessible and recovery efforts can be mobilized. At the same time, the security situation and access to basic services in many of these newly accessible areas remains precarious. As the political landscape quickly changes across Iraq, more information is needed on the movement intentions of IDP households and the assistance they require in overcoming the challenges they face with their decision. KEY FINDINGS For this study, 417 on-camp and off-camp households were surveyed about their planned movement intentions. Among all households, • 68% were intending to return to their area of origin • 18% were intending to integrate into their current area of displacement • 10% were intending to migrate abroad • 1% were to relocate to another area of origin (see Diagram 1). If these figures are reflective of the greater IDP population in Dohuk Governorate, humanitarian and governmental agencies should plan for the eventual return of the majority of on-camp and off-camp households to their areas of origin. Nonetheless a significant percentage of on-camp and off-camp households also reported that they intend to integrate into their current area of displacement. After more than three years of displacement, it is understandable that many on- camp and off-camp households have already begun the process of integrating into their communities and do not wish to be start over (even if that would mean to return to their original homes and communities). Many households also reported improved access to basic 1 IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix July 2017 IDP Master List 2 IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix July 2017 Returnee Master List 4 WELTHUNGRHILFE IRAQ IDP INTENTIONS SURVEY AUGUST 2017 services in their areas of displacement compared to their pre-displacement situation in their areas of origin (55% on-camp / 52% off-camp) (see Diagrams 34 & 35). It is understandably difficult to relinquish improved living standards and return to areas where basic services are inadequate. Furthermore, it appears that nearly all areas of displacement provided adequate levels of basic services, livelihoods, and security that only a small percentage of households intended to relocate to another area of displacement. This likely signifies that once established, households, prefer not to relocate and start over. Finally, of the 10% of on-camp and off-camp households who indicated that they were intending to migrate abroad, it is not known when or to what extent households will be able to fulfill this movement intention. Further research is required to see how possible migrating abroad is for IDP households and what type of support they require. DIAGRAM 1 Movement Intentions 80% 68% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% % of Total HHs 18% 20% 10% 10% 1% 3% 0% Return Integrate Migrate Relocate Do not know Options The question then switches from “if” IDP households intend to return, to “when?” High percentages of on-camp (48%) and off-camp households (36%) reported being uncertain about when they might be able to return. Equally high percentages of on-camp (27%) and off-camp (36%) households reported they will return from sometime between 1-2+ years (see Diagrams 72 and 73). If this is the case, both on-camp and off-camp households will require continued assistance in their various displacement locations for the short and long-term until they able to return. The challenges faced in returning also substantiate the long timeframes needed before IDP households are able to return. When asked what the main obstacles were that prevented their household from returning, the most reported issues among on-camp and off-camp households were: the unstable security situation in their areas of origin (65% on-camp / 68% off-camp), unavailability of basic services (34% on-camp / 30% off-camp), and damaged housing (13% on- camp / 25% off-camp) (see Diagrams 80 & 81). Restoring access to basic services such as clean water, electricity, and rehabilitating public and private infrastructure in every conflict-affected area will require significant time and resources from governmental and humanitarian agencies. 5 WELTHUNGRHILFE IRAQ IDP INTENTIONS SURVEY AUGUST 2017 Even more challenging will be restoring security to regions where the political situation remains uncertain between the KRG and GOI. Furthermore, the presence of numerous non-state armed groups in many areas of origin evoke legitimate concerns about their political agendas and how they will interact with returning civilian families. Supporting livelihood opportunities in remote areas of origin will also be challenging where economies and supply-chains have been disrupted, and consumer markets are close to non-existent. For many areas of origin, restoring security, livelihood opportunities, public/private infrastructure to their pre-displacement levels could easily be a 2+ year endeavor before they are suitable for IDPs to return to. Given the fact that many IDP families will remain in displacement for the foreseeable future (in addition to those intending to integrate), humanitarian and governmental agencies should continue to look for ways to improve the situations of IDPs in their various on-camp and off- camp situations until they are able to fulfill their intended movement decision. When asked what were the main issues they faced in their areas of displacement, large percentages of on-camp IDPs households indicated housing conditions (26%), availability of clean water (35%), lack of electricity (21%), and lack of livelihood opportunities (17%). Off-camp households reported on the lack of livelihood opportunities (48%), housing conditions (22%), lack of healthcare services/medicine (15%), and insufficient food/hunger (15%) to be the biggest challenges in their areas of displacement (see Diagrams 44 and 45). One positive aspect observed was that high percentages of on-camp (82%) and off-camp (91%) households reported that all job opportunities were potentially available to IDPs in their specific areas of displacement. Humanitarian and governmental agencies should therefore focus on supporting job-creation in various displacement locations. In general, what can be said about the movement intentions of IDP households in Dohuk and if they qualify as voluntary, safe, dignified, and informed? In regards to whether they could be considered