The following sources of information about conditions in Iraq may prove helpful for refugees and asylum seekers considering return and to decision makers on return policies and programmes and those seeking to influence them.
The sources are arranged thematically to make it easier to find information that may help to assess whether voluntary returns are likely to be safe and sustainable and to assist preparations for return. The themes themselves are drawn from terms of reference that were developed at the Home Office Voluntary Return Steering Group (VRSG). When discussing the ‘sustainability’ of voluntary return to a particular country of origin, the VRSG members and visiting speakers refer to the following indicators: absence of remigration; physical safety and security; freedom of movement; legal safety and security; housing; work/employment; education and training; and access to basic health services.
| Advice Persons granted asylum or other forms of international protection in the UK are advised to seek legal advice prior to travelling or returning to a country of origin. Persons seeking asylum in the UK are strongly advised to seek legal advice prior to making an application to return to IOM or to the UKBA. An application for voluntary return may jeopardise an outstanding asylum application. |
Migration and displacement
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) Iraq pages provide news, information, research and statistics on the country, with particular emphasis on returnee issues.
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) was established by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and monitors conflict-induced internal displacement world-wide. Information on internal displacement in and returns to Iraq can be found on its pages.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is an inter-governmental organisation and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners in the field of migration. Its Iraq pages provide details of the organisation’s work in that country.
Physical safety and security
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has published revised Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Iraqi Asylum Seekers (April 2009).
Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. Amnesty International’s collected information on Iraq can be accessed from its library pages.
The UK Border Agency’s Country of Origin Information Service (COI Service) seeks to provide accurate, objective, sourced and up-to-date information on asylum seekers' countries of origin, for use by UKBA officials involved in the asylum determination process. Its Country of Origin Information Reports for Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government controlled areas can be found here.
Human Rights Watch is a US-based NGO which seeks to protect human rights, prevent discrimination, uphold political freedom, protect people from inhuman conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. Human Rights Watch’s Iraq page contains analyses of the human rights situation in the country.
The International Crisis Group is an NGO that produces analytical reports on significant situations of conflict or potential conflict around the world and makes recommendations which aims to prevent and resolve deadly conflict and which are targeted at key international decision-takers. Its Iraq pages contain a database with monthly briefings and other reports about security and other developments in the country.
The US Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is a Federal Advisory Committee with a U.S. Government Charter. It monitors and reports on regional security for American businesses operating overseas. Its Afghanistan page can be accessed here.
The Iraq pages of the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights provide information on the country with respect to its compliance with the provisions of international human rights treaties and monitoring mechanisms.
Legal safety and security
The US Law Library of Congress provides links to information on Iraq’s constitutional, executive, judicial and legislative frameworks.
The University of California’s Iraq Legal Research Guide provides links to various aspects of Iraq’s legal codes.
Housing
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) has thematic pages dedicated to housing and property issues, as well as country-specific studies.
The UN-Habitat Iraq pages can be found here.
Work and employment
The Iraq Micro-Finance Industry is a web portal established to provide a centralized location in which Iraqi microfinance interests can be shared, discussed, and researched.
The International Labour Organization’s NATLEX database contains information on the employment laws of countries worldwide. Its Iraq page can be found here and details of the work carried out in Iraq by its regional office are available here.
The UN Jobs website collates details of vacancies with various UN agencies worldwide. Vacancies in Afghanistan can be found via its Duty Station page.
The International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) was launched early in 2004 by the United Nations and the World Bank to help donor nations channel their resources and coordinate their support for reconstruction and development in Iraq.
Education and training
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Iraq pages provide details of its work in the country, as well information about education services generally.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Iraq pages give an overview of its activities in the country. The Statistics section charts Iraq’s progress against a range of indicators, while the Resources page features a report on the situation of children based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research(MOHESR) is the Iraq government agency responsible for higher education and scientific research. It monitors the work of universities and allocates their budgets. It is also responsible for the sponsorship of Iraqi students to study in overseas universities in Britain, USA, Australia and other countries, and has consulates in those places as well.
The British Council’s Iraq Education Programmeworks with Iraqi institutions to share UK experience and build educational links between the two countries.
Health services
The World Health Organization’s Iraq country page provides information on health indicators, prevalent diseases and healthcare provision in the country.
The International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through healthcare training and relief and development programs. Its Iraq pages provide details of its healthcare initiatives in the country.
The Iraqi Ministry of Health website can be found here.
Medecins sans Frontieres is a charity which responds worldwide with health care and medical relief for vulnerable people caught up in natural disasters, conflict, disease and health system collapse. Its Iraq pages can be found here .
See also
 | | General and news
For further information about sources of information about conditions in Iraq for return, including general and news sites |
| | Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes
For information about the assisted voluntary return programmes which can provide help and assistance to support sustainable returns to Iraq |
| | Advice
Advice for individuals about assisted voluntary return programmes and contacting family members abroad |
Disclaimer: the Refugee Council is not responsible for the content of any external websites and does not endorse any view expressed in them. These links are offered as sources of information only.