Forced Migration in the OIC Member Countries:
Policy Framework Adopted by Host Countries
27
across international borders.24 The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reports
that 2.5 million people are currently displaced within the country.25
Overlapping IDP and refugee flows
Refugees often start their journey as IDPs, moving within their home country in search of
safety, greater economic opportunity, or respite from acute environmental factors.26 In some
cases, these internal flows overlap with international flows of refugees, as demonstrated by
the current situation in Iraq. As of December 31, 2015, it was reported that there were about
3.3 million IDPs in Iraq, around 2.5 million of whom were newly displaced in 2014.27 Since
Iraq recognized the autonomy of the Kurdish Regional Government in 2005, the Kurdish
Region of Iraq (KRI) has emerged as an area of comparative order and economic growth.28
Many Iraqis, including Yazidis, Christians and Arabs, have sought safety from conflict in KRI.
Those forced to flee from the Syrian civil war have also added to those displaced within Iraq,
even as many Iraqis continue to seek refuge in Turkey and Jordan from continued instability
in their country.29 An estimated 280,000 Syrian refugees have joined the 1.5 million Iraqi IDPs
in KRI since 2011.30 The largest Syrian population can be found in the Erbil governorate,
where both the IDP and refugee populations tend to be young (60 percent of Syrians are under
age 18,31 and 58 percent of Iraqis are below 25).32 Men comprise a larger share of the Syrian
population (57 percent), however, than among the Iraqi IDPs, among whom the gender divide
is evenly split.33
Chain displacement
One characteristic of forced migration that is particularly pronounced in the Middle East is
chain displacement. This refers to the multiple displacements of refugees whose countries of
asylum are no longer able to offer security and protection due to conflict or other factors.
Sometimes, this may take the form of return to one’s country of origin despite ongoing
security risks. For example, many Iraqi refugees who were formerly residing in Syria have
returned to Iraq, and may continue to be internally displaced upon return.34 Similarly, many
24 Almigdad Mojalli and Joe Dyke, “Is Yemen Europe’s next migration crisis?” IRIN News, September 18, 2015,
25 IDMC, Global Report on Internal Displacement 2016.
26 For example, it has been reported that most Syrian refugees began their journey as IDPs. Naomi Grimley, “Syria war: The
plight of internally displaced people,” BBC News, September 10, 2015,
Erin Mooney, “The inside story: internal displacement in Syria,” Forced Migration Review, no. 47 (2014): 44-45.
27 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, “Iraq IDP Figures Analysis,” accessed June 8, 2016,
Omer Karasapan and Sibel Kulaksiz, “Iraq’s
internally displaced populations and external refugees – a soft landing is a requisite for us all,” Brookings Institute, updated
April 2, 2015,
28 The Economist, “Peace, harmony and oil,” The Economist, April 20, 2013
29 Melissa Fleming, “Sharp increase in Iraqi refugees fleeing ISIS into Jordan and Turkey,” UNHCR, updated September 23,
2014
30 Lake, Eli. “Crisis Looms for Refugees Taken In by Iraq's Kurds,” Bloomberg, updated September 30, 2015,
31 UNHCR, “Syria Regional Refugee Response – Erbil,” updated April 30, 2016,
32 IOM, “Iraq Mission – Displacement Tracking Matrix,” accessed June 1, 2016
33 Ibid; UNHCR, Syria Regional Refugee Response: Erbil, updated June 30, 2016,
34 Dan McNorton, “Iraqi refugees flee war-torn Syria and seek safety back home,” UNHCR, updated June 18, 2013