This joint report issued by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provides an updated and realistic assessment of the situation of internal displacement in Iraq, which persists despite the gradual decline in the number of internally displaced persons over recent years. As of September 2025, more than one million internally displaced people remain in displacement situations, including over 100,000 individuals living in official camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Ninewa Governorate.

The report notes the continuation of voluntary departures from camps, with thousands of families leaving since the beginning of 2025—most returning to their areas of origin in Ninewa, Salah al-Din, and Erbil. However, this movement faces significant obstacles due to the suspension of certain government procedures, the lack of clarity regarding grants allocated for return or reintegration, and the decline in humanitarian funding.

The report confirms that the main challenges to achieving durable solutions to displacement remain:

• Damage to or destruction of housing in areas of return.

• Weak basic services, particularly water, education, and health.

• Limited employment opportunities and stable livelihoods.

• Difficulties in obtaining civil documentation, especially the Unified National ID card.

• Fragile security and social conditions in some areas of origin.

The report also highlights the deterioration of conditions within the camps themselves, including:

• Reduced and irregular food assistance.

• Weak health services, particularly mental health care.

• Poor housing conditions and infrastructure, especially with the approach of winter.

• Significant pressure on water and sanitation services.

• Declining quality of education due to staff shortages, overcrowding, and the closure of some schools.

From the perspective of Al-Rakeeza Foundation for Relief and Development, the findings of this report directly intersect with several of the Foundation’s areas of work. The report underscores the continued need to rehabilitate housing and infrastructure in both camps and areas of return, placing reconstruction at the core of any serious approach to durable solutions. It also demonstrates that weak water and sanitation services remain among the most significant factors contributing to the vulnerability of displaced persons and returnees, both inside and outside camps.

Regarding livelihoods, the report emphasizes that the absence of stable income represents the greatest challenge to the sustainability of return or local integration. A large proportion of families rely on irregular daily labor, reinforcing the need for economic empowerment and vocational training programs that support self-reliance and reduce dependence on assistance.

In the education sector, the report highlights a decline in the quality of educational services in camps and areas of return due to staff shortages, overcrowding, and weak infrastructure. This poses a real threat to the future of displaced children and youth and underscores the importance of investing in education, training, and development as essential tools for breaking cycles of vulnerability.

The report also shows that humanitarian assistance remains a pressing necessity, particularly in light of reduced funding and irregular food and health support. This requires maintaining a minimum level of humanitarian response alongside efforts toward durable solutions, in ways that strengthen the resilience of individuals and communities.

The publication of this report reflects Al-Rakeeza Foundation’s commitment to knowledge sharing, evidence-based action, and encouraging partners and stakeholders to engage with UN analyses that contribute to a deeper understanding of displacement challenges in Iraq. We invite readers to review the full report, with its detailed data and recommendations, which can support the design of more effective programs that respond to the needs of displaced persons, returnees, and host communities.