Access to civil documentation by IDPs and IDP returnees in Iraq 2022-2023

The loss or destruction of civil documentation is a major protection issue faced by IDPs. Many - particularly those with real or perceived affiliation to extremist groups - face numerous barriers to obtaining and renewing civil documentation. The 2021 Multi Cluster Needs Assessment (MCNA) showed that 28% of IDPs in camps, 25% of IDPs in urban situations, and 16% of IDP returnees in Iraq lack at least one core document. Missing civil documentation impedes one’s ability to access basic services such as education, healthcare, and social security benefits and can lead to restricted freedom of movement, increased risk of arrest and detention, exclusion from restitution and/or reconstruction programmes, and inability to participate in the public affairs of the country. Children who lack birth certificates are at risk of statelessness. UNHCR continues to collaborate with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to conduct civil documentation missions in camps, including Jeddah 1 regarding Al Hol returnees and the 25 KRG-administrated IDP camps, and areas of displacement.