Iraq News Now

Question

? How to encourage a government to simplify or provide temporary civil documentation to

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in protracted displacement?

1. Summary

Internal displacement is a global humanitarian, human rights, and security issue. As national

governments bear the primary responsibility for internally displaced persons’ (IDPs’) protection

and welfare, they need encouragement to simplify or provide temporary civil documentation for

them – especially for people in protracted displacement. In a protracted crisis such as Iraq, direct

assistance by government is not sufficient (IOM Iraq, 2019); it is vital that self-reliance among

individuals and communities is also built up (St. Thomas King and Ardis, 2015; IRC, 2017;

OCHA, 2018). This review gives examples of how the Iraqi government can simplify or provide

temporary civil documentation to IDPs in protracted displacement. Conflict and violence are the

main triggers of internal displacement; therefore, information is provided on such countries with

protracted displacement. Practical solutions used effectively by them is also included.

If national governments are unable or unwilling to meet their responsibilities, the international

community has a role to play in promoting and reinforcing efforts to ensure protection, assistance

and solutions for IDPs (OCHA, 2018). Therefore, most of the literature available is focused

towards the needs of the IDPs, as well as the assistance provided by these agencies, e.g. the

United Nations (UN). Evidence is mainly for both refugees and IDPs – in some cases the terms

are used inter-changeably.

In order to simplify the documentation process, advances in digital technology are resulting in

new approaches, e.g. introduction of centrally-based identity systems by governments around

the world (Oakeshott et al., 2018; Mills, 2019; UNHCR, 2019). As this review is focusing on Iraq,

the government could also accept testimonies of mukhtars (local mayors), recommending

citizens and affirming their place of residence, as "an acceptable official document" (al-Taie,

2017b) as a temporary solution to security clearance. This could prevent potential problems due

to movement from place of origin (LandInfo, 2018). Multi-country evidence proves that updating

policies with inclusivity is a necessary but complex and longer-term process (Saieh et al., 2019):

disability and gender-based discrimination in existing Iraqi laws and practices regarding civil

registration, as well as the provision of nationality legal documentation, need to be addressed.

However, no evidence was found to see if this is currently the case. Likewise, data allowing use

of expired documentation will also need further investigation