Iraqi refugees in the Middle East

1. Iraqi refugees in the Middle East Syria, Jordan and Lebanon April 2008

2. Situation in Iraq • Population: 25 mill. • Religion: 97% Islam and 3% other (mainly Christians and Jews). • Islam: 60% Shiite, 20% Sunni Arabs and 20% Sunni Kurds (in the North).

3. Baghdad 60% Shiite 40% Sunni Arabs.

4. Development March 2003- April 2008 • March 2003: Start of the second Gulf war. • May 2003: Pres. Bush “Mission accomplished”. • August 2003: UN headquarter bombed, withdrawal. • December 2003: Saddam captured • 2003-2005: • Some initial optimism after the fall of Saddam lead to the return of 300.000 Iraqis. • But also widespread sectarian violence, guerilla warfare, suicide attacks, chaos, looting. • February 2006: The bombing of the Golden Shiite mosque in Samarra lead to a sharp upturn in sectarian violence.

5. Refugees inside Iraq • 2.7 mill internally displaced (IDPs) • 2003-2006: 1.2 mill. • 2006-2007: 1.5 mill. • 2008: Displacement continues in a lower pace. • Mainly from Baghdad (69%) and Diyala (18%) • Mainly (82%) women and children • Mainly (85%) displaced in the Southern or Central Iraq. • In neighborhood or district controlled by their sect. • Many IDPs live in rented houses/apartments (59%), collective settlements (22%), with host family (18%), or in tents (1%). • More than 1 mill is in need of adequate shelter and food. • Around 300.000 have no access to clean water. • In 2007 UNHCR distributed 140.000 blankets, 50.000 mattresses, 20.000 stoves, 15.000 lanterns, 14.000 plastic sheets, 6.000 tents etc. • 2 international staff + 20 national staff in 7 locations provide basic assistance.

6. Refugees outside Iraq • 2.2 mill refugees in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, and Iran. • Syria (1.5 mill) and Jordan (500.000) carry most of the burden. • Many Sunni Arabs and ethnic minorities • Western countries receive a small portion.

7. Refugees: basic needs? • Non-refoulement • Physical safety • Residence and work permit • Legal protection (detention etc) • House, food and water • Social assistance (incl. school) • Health services

8. Permanent solutions • Repatriation (to home country)? • Voluntary repatriation: Some return (about 800-900 pr day) • Economic reasons, check or sell property (“Go and see” visits) • Follow up with family members • To be released from detention in Lebanon or other countries • No minority return • Local integration (in host country)? • Resettlement (in a third country)?

9. Protection “climate” in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon • Human rights record in the Middle east. • Syria, Jordan and Lebanon not ratified 1951 Refugee convention (144 states signed) • No asylum system • Illegal or “tolerated” stay • Few local NGOs dealing with human rights (mainly humanitarian assistance). • Political tension and instability (Lebanon) • Local population, rising prices (Syria).

10. The Role of UNHCR • Protection and assistance to refugees • Policy of non-return (prima facie refugee status) for all Iraqis from Central and Southern Iraq • Registration • Important first step: to be of concern to UNHCR • Interview, collect personal information, assess specific needs and further action. • Refugee Status Determination • Interview, written assessment, criteria for refugee status in art. 1 A of the 1951 Refugee Convention. • Resettlement: Who do we look for?

11. Resettlement Traditional criteria: • Vulnerable groups (Women-at-risk, children-at-risk, elderly, medical needs, victims of torture) • Legal and Physical Protection needs (risk of detention, refoulement) • UNHCR refer 20.000 Iraqi refugees pr year, mainly to US, Canada, UK, Australia, Den/Swe/Nor. • In 2008: 25.000 • So far in 2008: 5000 Iraqis have been submitted and 1.150 have departed.

12. Legal protection • Challenge detention or deportation orders in court. • Social assistance • Community centers • Outreach – mobile teams • Social counseling • Home visits • Public and private school enrollment for children • Private school fees, books, uniforms etc. • Vocational training • Medical assistance

13. Mixed refugee population • Urban refugee population (live in Damascus, Amman, Beirut or other cities) • Vulnerable groups (women, children, elderly) • Excludable groups (criminals) • Different needs and rights • Dealing with expectations from refugees? .

14. Syria • Population: 19 mill. • 90% Muslim and 10% Christian • Muslim: 74% Sunni and 16% other Muslim sects (Alawis and Druze) • Syria is a republic under the secular and authoritarian regime of President Bashar al-Asad.

15. 1.5 mill refugees • 30.000-60.000 each month in 2006-2007 • 165.000 registered with UNHCR • Average 2.500 refugees registered pr. week. • 2 months waiting period for registration (urgent cases 1 week) • Growing numbers, because of increased support from UNHCR. • Also growing numbers outside Damascus. (Aleppo and Homs). • 53% Sunni, 22% Shiite and 17% Christian • Male 52%/Female 48% • Female principle applicant 22%

16. 33% of refugees self-supported for 3 months or less. • 20% of refugees depend on support from family abroad • UNHCR: 4.000 ATM cards to the most vulnerable families (18.000 persons) with 100-200 USD pr month. First interviewed by Community Service staff. Will cost 1.5 mill pr. month. • 1 mill USD distributed to vulnerable women. • 60.000 refugees received food assistance in Damascus from UNCHR and WFP. Package: Sugar, wheat, macaroni, tomato paste, black tea and cooking oil. • UNHCR will also distribute non-food items: mattresses, blankets and bed-sheets. Planned for 150.000.

17. Iraqi refugees in Damascus

18. Health situation • 20% serious medial condition • Survey December 2007: • 89% depressed and 82% anxious, • all experienced at least one traumatic event (witnessed shooting, affected by shelling or rocket attacks, or harassment by militia. • 75% knew someone close who had been killed. • 16% tortured (mainly by militia), 61% beaten with fists or objects. • In 2007, UNHCR supported 200.000 health interventions (compared to only 15.000 in 2006) • UNHCR supported 7 clinics for Iraqi refugees in Damascus and 4 in other parts of Syria – Red Cross and Red Crescent. • UNHCR provided treatment for 500 cancer patients (one hospital, cost 1 mill USD, surgery for 150 refugees).

19. Children • Child at risk 5% • 40% drop-out among school children • 10% of children are working. • UNHCR funded rehabilitation of 100 schools/educational facilities, provide textbooks and uniforms to Iraqi schoolchildren. • UNHCR supports access to higher education for 300 Iraqi students through scholarship. • In 2008, UNHCR supports the building of 8 new schools and construction of one floor in a new hospital in Damascus, and expanded capacity in other hospitals. • Syria allows Iraqi children: 50.000 enrolled by February 2008.

20. Women • 5% Woman at risk • 400 Sexual and Gender based violence (SGBV) cases identified since February 2007. • Prostitution in Damascus • UNHCR support 50 Iraqi women in prison and girls (12-17 years old) in Juvenile centers, mainly because of prostitution. • UNHCR support safe houses in Damascus. In February 2008 a large new safe house opened to accommodate 120 women.

21. Palestinian refugeesin “No mans land” • Palestinians fled from Palestine to Iraq in 1948, supported by Saddam Hussein to provoke Israel. • After his fall there were 35.000 Palestinians in Iraq. They where perceived to be supporting Saddam and harassed by militia. Today, only 15.000 left. • 2.700 Palestinian refugees from Iraq stranded in two camps (Al Waleed and Al Tanf) on the Iraqi side of the border to Syria (“No mans land”) • Fear of persecution in Baghdad. • Syria has restricted visa requirements for Palestinians. • Dessert, high temperatures (60 degrees in the summer) and sandstorms

22. Hard conditions, no proper water or sanitation, scorpions and snakes. • Armed local men demanded part of supplies, threatened international agencies and blocked aid. • Worried about health situation.12 refugees died in last 14 months. • 400 km to nearest proper health facility in Iraq. No ambulance, only taxi. • UNHCR (through implementing partners) provide daily food rations, non-food items and power supply, school (340 students), health care services and medical evacuation, Red Cross provide water and sanitation. • Resettlement: In 2006, Canada accepted 64 persons. In 2007, Brazil received 107. In 2008, Chile will receive 117 persons. Sudan has offered to take 2000 persons.

23. Jordan • Population: 6 mill. • 93% Sunni Muslims and 6% Christians. • Constitutional monarchy ruled by King Abdullah Hussein and supported by US and EU. • 500.000 Iraqi refugees • Stricter visa-requirements in February 2008. Apply in Iraq, not on the border. • 52.000 Registered with UNHCR • 3 days registration waiting period

24. Sunni 68%, Shiite 17% and Christians 12% • Male 55% and Female 45% • Urban refugee population: Come from Baghdad and live in Amman. • 40% receive financial support from Iraq • 22% employed • 20% female headed households and often among the poorest. • UNHCR: 2000 families food monthly and 150 persons hot meal daily. • UNHCR: 7.700 persons received financial assistance in 2007.

25. Woman at risk 7% • Child at risk 5% • 15% serious health problems • UNHCR: 40.000 health interventions in 2007. • 95% said they wished to return if security improved. • Only 20% concrete plans to emigrate to third country. • Mainly poor refugees want to emigrate • Refugees with high level of resources (economically and education) want to return.

26. Lebanon • Population: 3.8 mill • 35% Shiite, 25% Sunni, 25% Christian Maronites • Lebanon is a parliamentary republic in which the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and the leader of the Parliament is a Shiite Muslim. • Political instability, division between ethnic and religious groups, fear of civil war.

27. 50.000 Iraqi refugees • 10.000 Registered with UNHCR • Registration waiting period: 4-5 days. • Shiite 57%, Sunni 30% and Christians 12% • Shiite live in Shiite areas, Sunni in Sunni areas and Christians in Christian areas. • Male 70% and Female 30% • 6% female principle applicant • Women at risk 1.5% • Child at risk 2.5% • 10% important health problems • UNHCR supported 2.800 health interventions and 2.900 psychological intervention • UNHCR opened a new rehabilitation center for victims of torture and violence in Dec 2007. • More than 50% never feel safe in Lebanon. • 580 in detention because of illegal entry or stay (or overstayed their visa) and 50% detained beyond the period of their original sentence. • Detention: will be released if return “voluntary” to Iraq. • Major break through in February 2008: Recognize Iraqi refugees. Release from detention. Residence and work permit.

28. Conclusions • Flee from violence (traumatic events). Want to return if safe. • Neighboring countries carry most of the burden. • Seek their ethnic group in country of asylum • Women & children left behind. Single men move on (Lebanon). • Mixed refugee population – different background, different needs, different status. • Targeted response (Syria: ATM cards to urban refugee population)

29. Deal with expectations from refugees (assistance and resettlement). • Local integration and repatriation. Resettlement only for a small minority. • Difficult protection “climate” (restricted access, human rights violations, detention) • Realistic approach • Need to work with local governments and local population – protection principles vs. protection space? • Resources and donor support • Resettlement countries. • Work for UNHCR • the need for young, motivated staff • Work is demanding, but also gratifying!