The Challenges of Return Migration and Displacement in Iraq
by: Mohamad Noor Ahmad, The Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO)
The Hammurabi Human Rights Organization has shown great interest in the issue of refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons. They have issued a special report on their living conditions, the difficulties they face, and the violations they experience.
Here is a part of this report:
Immigration, asylum and internal displacement situations
Although the governmental curriculum of the new government, which was formed at the end of November 2022, included objectives related to improving the conditions of the displaced and rebuilding the areas destroyed by terrorism, through the completion of the displacement file, the return of the displaced to their cities from which they were displaced, but the process of overcoming the obstacles it faces The displaced, including the reconstruction and compensation processes for their areas, are proceeding very slowly. In addition, creating appropriate conditions and achieving the foundations for voluntary return to the cities liberated from ISIS terrorism and resolving the security problems in them is still not achieved in some cities, especially the Sinjar region, which was inhabited by approximately (400) thousand Yazidis. The guarantees for the protection of minorities are still insufficient, and the reasons that drive them to migrate outside Iraq have not yet change. The government of Muhammad Shia al-Sudani emphasized in its future government program the launch of a reconstruction project for the private areas in each of Sinjar and the Nineveh Plain region, which are inhabited by non-Muslim minorities.
Numerous challenges hinder the majority of refugees from living conditions to the difficulties they face, and the violations they experience.
Return policies for displaced persons and refugees
The policy of closing the camps for the displaced and refugees and returning the displaced to their areas before they are rehabilitated is inconsistent with the principle of voluntary return that the Iraqi Ministry of Immigration claims to adopt, and this poses a threat to the lives of the displaced and refugees and pushes them to engage in illegal and dangerous work, as well as migrate outside the country for Iraqis. The biggest challenge facing refugees and displaced persons in Iraq is the weakness of livelihood support programs for them by the state to facilitate their integration, including the issue of providing job opportunities and matching jobs, supporting small businesses and increasing vocational training.
Return policies for displaced persons and refugees The policy of closing the camps for the displaced and refugees and returning the displaced to their areas before they are rehabilitated is inconsistent with the principle of voluntary return that the Iraqi Ministry of Immigration claims to adopt, and this poses a threat to the lives of the displaced and refugees and pushes them to engage in illegal and dangerous work, as well as migrate outside the country for Iraqis.
The biggest challenge facing refugees and displaced persons in Iraq is the weakness of livelihood support programs for them by the state to facilitate their integration, including the issue of providing job opportunities and finding suitable jobs, supporting small businesses and increasing vocational training. The steps to reform the Iraqi legal system and promote community development are slow and weak, including the issue of restoring the infrastructure for local services, such as expanding educational institutions for refugees and displaced persons, requirements to facilitate access to education and developing a modern and appropriate and healthy environment for them. In the absence of a comprehensive Iraqi law for refugees, and Iraq's failure to accede to the International Convention on Refugees of (1951) and its protocol of (1967), the delay in achieving this motivates refugees to prefer resettlement in a third country, and that the displaced are forced to migrate abroad using both legal and illegal methods.
To access the organization's annual report for the year 2022, please visit here.
Contact:
Mohamad Noor Ahmad | The Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO) | noor.hhro@gmail.com