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Iraq Middle East & North Africa | Perspective

Iraq’s Invisible IDPs

August 26, 2015

Over the course of the past decade, millions of Iraqis have been forced to flee their homes. Prior to 2014, approximately one million Iraqis were internally displaced, mostly due to the sectarian conflict of 2006 – 2008. Since January 2014, millions more have been uprooted by government-militant violence and the advance of the group known as the Islamic State or ISIS. Humanitarian access across Iraq has become more and more limited due to security concerns. One third of the country is now controlled by ISIS and therefore virtually out-of-reach to international organizations, and access in parts of the government-controlled areas, including Baghdad, is difficult and unreliable. As a result, many of Iraq’s 3.2 million internally displaced (IDPs) are in need of lifesaving assistance, including access to food, clean water, adequate shelter, and healthcare.  

IDP settlements in Iraq have sprung up wherever permission to use the land from the government or private landowners can be secured.

 

IDP settlements in Iraq have sprung up wherever permission to use the land from the government or private landowners can be secured.

 

 

 

Most of the IDP camps and settlements in Baghdad and neighboring provinces don't have enough water storage facilities to meet the needs of the displaced.

 

Most of the IDP camps and settlements in Baghdad and neighboring provinces don’t have enough water storage facilities to meet the needs of the displaced.

 

 

 

Camps that are not served by the Iraqi government of by the United Nations and its partners depend upon donations from the communities hosting them.

 

Camps that are not served by the Iraqi government of by the United Nations and its partners depend upon donations from the communities hosting them.

 

 

 

In one camp RI visited, many of the households are headed by single women who have few options for earning a living.

 

In one camp RI visited, many of the households are headed by single women who have few options for earning a living.

 

 

 

The few people who have ways to earn money, like this woman who sews items for sale, still don't make enough to be self-sufficient.

 

The few people who have ways to earn money, like this woman who sews items for sale, still don’t make enough to be self-sufficient.

 

 

 

International agencies contribute food and relief items to some of the camps, but the donations are often sporadic and insufficient. 

 

International agencies contribute food and relief items to some of the camps, but the donations are often sporadic and insufficient. 

 

 

 

Medicine supplies are also insufficient, and in many cases, there are no doctors to distribute them. 

 

Medicine supplies are also insufficient, and in many cases, there are no doctors to distribute them. 

 

 

 

Multiple families share this cooking area. The camp managers at this site, who are themselves displaced, are trying to gather donations to establish communal kitchens. 

 

Multiple families share this cooking area. The camp managers at this site, who are themselves displaced, are trying to gather donations to establish communal kitchens. 

 

 

 

Water, sanitation, and hygiene systems in the camps are usually underdeveloped or non-existent. 

 

Water, sanitation, and hygiene systems in the camps are usually underdeveloped or non-existent. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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