Understanding Ethnoreligious Groups in Iraq: Displacement and return | February 2019

This report focuses on the specific displacement and return dynamics of four ethnoreligious groups in Iraq – Shabak Shia, Turkmen Shia, Christian and Yazidi – and identifies the socioeconomic characteristics of returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) within these groups. A face-to-face survey among 1,605 IDPs and returnees was conducted in areas of displacement and return to obtain data for this study. The study broadens the general understanding of the main factors driving decisions to return or remain in displacement, including how housing, land and property issues impact decisions to return; explores whether IDPs and returnees have different perceptions of their own groups and other groups in their areas of origin; and maps short- and long-term intentions of IDP and returnee households. The study represents an important step in formulating targeted approaches to displacement challenges, pursuing durable solutions for IDPs and ultimately mitigating the adverse effects of conflict on the cultural and demographic diversity of Iraq.