"The battle of Mosul is over, but for hundreds of thousands who fled the city, their suffering and despair continues," said the Norwegian Refugee Council's Iraq Country Director Heidi Diedrich. “People we work with are still missing some of the most basic necessities and have no idea if they will ever be able to go back to their homes.”
An assessment conducted by NRC among displaced Iraqis from Mosul and surrounding areas found that 53 percent of respondents maintained they did not have civil documentation. The majority of those living outside displacement camps are finding it impossible to pay rent, with many families having to share one house together. They reported their major concerns to include forced evictions, and inability to pay the increasing cost of rent.
A majority of women said they were concerned about the future. Their children were not registered in schools because they did not know whether or not they would return back to their homes and had very low income. Men reported the lack of job opportunities as their top concern and that sending children to work was one way of coping. Almost all women interviewed listed the lack of shelter, water and health services as their top unmet need.
The top reason for continuing to stay away from their areas of origin was the lack of livelihoods and income opportunities, with violence and insecurity coming in as second top concern. When asked about their future plans a majority responded that it all depended on the situation back in Mosul.
"After three years living under the brutal reign of the IS and a year since the battle to retake the city started, the tragedy for Iraqi civilians continues to this day. Until they are able to return home and rebuild their lives, the international community must continue to stand in solidarity with the Iraq’s displaced. Meanwhile, the government’s plans to rebuild Mosul must ensure the rights of displaced Iraqis are at the forefront of these efforts,” said Diedrich.
Notes to editors:
- The NRC needs assessment was carried out in August in East Mosul, with focus group discussions and interviews carried out among 236 displaced Iraqis.
- NRC has spokespeople in Iraq available for interviews. Please e-mail us: info@nrc.no
- A photo gallery of pictures of displaced people from Mosul can be found here for free use and distribution.