SUMMARY
Starting in late 2013, violent conflict in Anbar province between Armed Groups (AGs) and the Iraq Security Forces, which later spread into other governorates, has caused the displacement of a sizeable part of the population to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Internally displaced persons (IDPs) mainly found refuge in the Dahuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah governorates, often living outside camps. Although the dynamic of conflict has changed since August 2014, few IDPs were able to safely return to their area of origin. Thus, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the humanitarian community – who have been primarily engaged in immediate life-saving assistance – were aware of their intentions to remain in the KRI at least for the foreseeable future.
Upon request from the Ministry of Planning (MoP) of the KRG, the REACH Initiative conducted a broad, multisectoral needs assessment in October 2014 to provide a better understanding of the situation facing the internally displaced population in the KRI. This multi-cluster needs assessment (MCNA) aimed specifically to understand the different living arrangements of displaced families since arrival in the KRI; and to inform government and humanitarian actors about the perceptions, expectations and priorities of the displaced population, especially with regards to their own priority needs.
The assessment was designed based on consultations with relevant KRG Ministries and humanitarian agencies, and was subsequently endorsed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Iraq. Primary data was collected by REACH between 14 and 30 October 2014, based on a random sample of 1757 IDP families living outside of camps. The analysis, findings, and data tables were widely disseminated among the key stakeholders in November and December 2014, and fed into the Phase II Immediate Response Plan for the Internally Displaced People in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (IRP2)1, published in December 2014.
This report presents a comprehensive overview of key findings from the assessment, many of which have already been acted upon by the government and humanitarian stakeholders, following presentations and workshops. This is particularly true for findings related to preparation for the winter, which was already in full force at the time of publication.
The MCNA identified the following priority needs among displaced families across the KRI:
WINTER CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR & OTHER NON-FOOD ITEMS: The primary preoccupation for the beneficiaries interviewed in October was preparation for the approaching winter season: most of them reported that they were in need for winter clothing (as reported by 76% of the beneficiaries across all areas of the KRI) and household items (reported by 42% of total IDP population), especially ‘heaters’.
FOOD SECURITY: Food appeared as a top priority for 49% of the IDPs. Indeed, while 72% of household reported that they had been able to access sufficient food in the month preceding the assessment (from the KRG, local and international humanitarian actors and hosting communities), nearly all IDPs reported engaging in some short term coping strategies.
SHELTER & WASH: Shelter and WASH concerns were mentioned, especially in vulnerable shelter types (such as informal camps, unfinished buildings and collective centres) where 35% of IDPs reported a need for heating and another 23% and 18% respectively reported a need for more structural shelter improvements such as insulation or weatherproofing. 16% of the IDPs in Dahuk governorate did not meet the SPHERE standards for emergencies for latrine facilities, as they had to share with more than 50 persons per toilet.
EMPLOYMENT: Only 16% of IDP households across the KRI reported earning some form of income, with the highest proportion being in Sulaymaniyah (44%). 71% of IDPs across the KRI reported spending their savings, with the majority expecting their remaining savings to last no more than a month. 56% further reported spending cash received through charitable donations.
EDUCATION: As more than half of the displaced population in the KRI is children under the age of 18, the beneficiary caseload for education is immense: at the time of assessment, around 250,000 displaced children between the age of 6 and 17 were living outside camps, a number that has not significantly changed since then. The majority of these children, in particular in Erbil (91%) and Sulaymaniyah (89%) will require Arabiclanguage education – numbering approximately 149,000 in the KRI.
