UN expert calling for action on behalf of internally displaced persons in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Erbil - 03 October 2010

“I welcome the readiness and efforts by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to receive internally displaced persons from all over Iraq and to provide them with safety and security regardless of their origin. At the same time, I urge the KRG to develop a comprehensive plan which addresses both the immediate social needs as well as durable solutions for all internally displaced persons in the region”, stated Mr. Walter Kalin, the Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, in Erbil at the end of his one week visit to Iraq.

Such a plan could include rental subsidies and other financial assistance for particularly poor families among the displaced, as well as livelihood interventions. It could also include allocation of housing or land plots for those who are unable or do not wish to return to their place of origin, and the strengthening of reception capacities for new arrivals, including from border regions with neighboring countries which have been affected by shelling.

Currently, there are an estimated 30’000 internally displaced families in the Kurdistan region. The region has a long history of displacement which occurred both before and post 2003, including as recently as June 2010. While some of the displacement includes various ethnic groups which fled to the region from other parts of Iraq following inter-sectarian violence, other displacements have occurred from within the region. “Given the complexity and varied reasons for displacements in the Kurdistan region, it is essential to adopt a multi-faceted strategy which takes the needs of specific groups into account”, emphasized Mr. Kalin.

The Representative noted a number of concerns regarding the current situation of internally displaced persons.  The lack of sufficient access to educational facilities, including in their language of origin, is a concern for some internally displaced persons. “Additionally, many children of displaced families are deprived of the right to education due to poverty, and must work in the informal labor market in order to help support their families. These families are often housed in inadequate shelters and have poor access to health care”, stated the Representative.

Chronic poverty among displaced communities has especially impacted some vulnerable groups such as female-headed households, separated children and children who have taken on the role of bread winners - in some cases exposing them, inter alia, to the dangers of trafficking and other abuses.  Employment in general among some internally displaced persons is also more difficult due to language barriers and lack of official residency papers.  Many are unable to transfer their cards entitling them to receive food and other items through the Public Distribution System (PDS) or to access pensions they received at their former place of habitual residence.

While registration of internally displaced persons by national authorities was stopped in February 2009, arrivals of displaced persons to the region have continued.  “Resuming registration of internally displaced persons in the Kurdistan region would facilitate both social assistance to the most vulnerable in the short term, but also the implementation of longer term solutions for certain groups. In this respect, collaboration with the strong support of the Ministry of Displacement and Migration would be important in order to identify durable solutions for displaced persons from outside the region”, said the Representative.

“During my visit I have received information on allegations of harassment and detention of internally displaced persons in Kirkuk. This is being perceived by some as being directly related to the upcoming census exercise. It would be important to stress the non-political and inclusive character of the census, as well as to ensure that the census exercise does not adversely affect the human rights of displaced persons”, stressed Mr. Kalin. During this sensitive period, I would urge both regional and federal authorities to be especially vigilant to the protection needs of internally displaced persons”, concluded Mr. Kalin.

During his visit to the region Mr. Kalin met with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, as well as with Regional Government’s Minister for Foreign Relations and Minister of the Interior. The Representative also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the various internally displaced communities, as well as members of civil society and the international community.

ENDS

Walter Kaelin, professor of law at the University of Bern (Switzerland), has been the Representative of the Secretary General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons since 2004.

Learn more about the mandate and work of the Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/idp/index.htm

For additional information and press inquiries, please contact the secretariat, Ms Rosa da Costa  (Tel. +41 22 917 9140 (as of 05 October) / e-mail: idp@ohchr.org)