Nearly two years after the official end of the conflict with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), more than 4.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their places of origin across eight governorates in Iraq. The Return Index measures the severity of physical and social conditions in the locations to which they are returning. This third Thematic Series report focuses on the dynamics and drivers of re-displacement, a type of secondary displacement referring specifically to “IDPs who return to their areas of origin but are unable to achieve sustainable solutions and are consequently displaced again to their first place of displacement or to a new location of displacement.” Despite some gradual improvements of conditions in return areas in Iraq, if local conditions in origin remain severe for a long period of time or undergo a sudden deterioration, returns may not be sustainable. It is in these contexts that returnee families may face pressures to leave again – in other words, they may re-displace. This report explores which push factors play a role, and to what degree, in making a location more likely to have families re-displacing, through correlating the data on locations with secondary displacement with Return Index indicators on the locations’ physical and social conditions.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries, territories and areas (C/T/As) have sought to prevent the virus’ spread through a broad array of travel measures. These have included both travel restrictions, such as bans on arrivals or visa cancellations for travellers from particular jurisdictions, and health requirements, such as quarantine requirements, testing and – most recently, in some C/T/As – vaccination and recovery certificates. These measures have had different goals, from seeking to prevent the virus arriving at all (containment), to postponing its arrival (delay), to minimizing the number of infections (mitigation). Initially, travel restrictions, alongside widespread closures of airports and other points of entry, were designed to halt all forms of human movement in their tracks. But governments have increasingly sought to safely restart cross-border mobility of all types and, thus, many of the newest rules seek to safely expand the groups who are able to travel or replace blunt entry bans with measures to minimize the risk of the virus spreading.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been tracking travel measures and border closures since March 2020. This study is the result of collaboration between IOM and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) to analyse the implications of these data and, in particular, to track on an annual basis the impact of COVID-19 on cross-border mobility.

The sheer volume of travel measures in play – more than 100,000 as of the end of 2021 – continues to chill cross-border mobility. It is striking that this picture remained largely unchanged in the face of huge shifts in the epidemiological situation over the course of 2021, which saw peaks and troughs in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally and within C/T/As, shaped by outbreaks of new variants of the virus as well as rising vaccination rates.

This report outlines trends in cross-border mobility regimes at the global and regional levels in 2021, comparing these to the benchmark set in 2020. Next, it looks at the impacts and costs of these travel measures on migrants and migration around the globe. Then, it examines the policy questions C/T/As face in deciding how to adapt their mobility systems as conditions continue to change. Finally, the report considers the role of international coordination in the design and implementation of travel measures and the use of digital health credentials. The report concludes with recommendations and key questions the world will need to grapple with in 2022.

The Return Index Governorate Profiling provides singular analysis and insights on returns at the governorate level, with a comparison of figures and severity of living conditions over the course of 2019.

This report focuses on return dynamics in Ninewa Governorate, the governorate with the highest number of returnees. The report features an evaluation of conditions of return across the governorate at the end of 2019, provides insights on the mass arrivals which took place in September 2019 due to camp closures, and analyses the drivers of severe conditions across geographical hotspots that received an influx of new arrivals during that period.

KEY FINDINGS

• Ninewa Governorate hosts 1.77 million returnees out of the 4.60 million returnees in Iraq (38% of the total), making it the governorate with the highest number of returnees. Ten per cent of these returnees are currently living in locations ranked as having high severity conditions, while 32 per cent are living in medium severity locations and 58 per cent in low severity locations.

• While the absolute number of returnees living in high severity locations decreased between January and August 2019, in the last four months of 2019 the trend reversed and the number began increasing again. By December 2019, the number stood at about 174,000 individuals.

• The districts of Sinjar and Telafar host the largest number of individuals who have returned to high severity conditions. In Sinjar in particular, nearly all locations with returns are categorized as high severity – no returnee was found to be living in low severity conditions.

• A little over 52,000 returnees are living in critical shelters (3% of Ninewa’s returnee population), spread across 255 locations.
The majority of these returnees are concentrated in villages around the urban centre of Mosul district.

• Given the large presence of non-camp IDPs, one out of every four locations in Ninewa Governorate hosts both IDPs and returnees, increasing the pressure on the provision of basic needs and recovery resources. Multiple locations in Mosul and Sinjar, for instance, are currently hosting more IDPs than returnees.

• Between September and December 2019, DTM tracked almost 49,000 individuals who left camps for non-camp settings in Ninewa Governorate due to camp closures. Most of them (85%) returned to their districts of origin, while the remaining 15 per cent moved to new locations of displacement, thus becoming non-camp IDPs. The districts of Al-Ba’aj and Hatra host two thirds of these new arrivals.

• A little more than 40 per cent of the camp departures to non-camp locations in Ninewa Governorate have currently settled in locations classified as high severity. This influx points to a likely critical situation for these newly arrived households, from displacement camps to relatively deprived areas.

The Return Index Governorate Profiling provides singular analysis and insights at the governorate level, with a comparison of figures and severity of living conditions over the course of 2019 and early 2020.
This report focuses on return dynamics in Salah al-Din Governorate, the governorate with the third largest number of returnees. The report features an evaluation of severity conditions in areas of return across the governorate in early 2020, provides insights on new arrivals due to camp closures between September 2019 and February 2020, and analyses drivers of severity across geographical hotspots in the governorate.

Between 22 November 2020 and 3 January 2021, DTM tracked 4,484 individuals (826 families) returning to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj districts in Iraq’s Ninewa Governorate. This brings the total number of individuals who have taken this route to 45,268 (8,488 families) since data collection commenced on 8 June 2020.
In this reporting period, the average number of daily individual arrivals was 111 to Sinjar (down significantly from 258 in the last round) and 10 to Al-Ba’aj (down from 16 in the last round). In this period, the daily number of arrivals to Sinjar is lower than the overall daily average since 8 June (205); the daily number of arrivals to Al-Ba’aj is also lower than the overall daily average since 8 June (19).
Of those individuals who returned between 22 November 2020 and 3 January 2021, a total of 4,106 were recorded in Sinjar (92%) and 378 were recorded in Al-Ba’aj (8%) – broadly consistent with the rates of individuals’ districts of arrival since 8 June.
The most common sub-district of arrival was Al-Shamal with 2,514 individuals (56%), followed by Markaz Sinjar with 1,077 individuals (24%). Together, these two sub-districts comprise 78 per cent of all individuals recorded as having arrived to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj since data collection commenced on 8 June. Otherwise, 515 individuals arrived to the sub-district of Qaeyrrawan (11%) and 378 arrived to Al-Qahtaniyah (8%).
Of those individuals identified as returning between 22 November and 3 January, 3,790 were recorded as returnees (85%), while the remaining 694 were recorded as out-of-camp IDPs (15%). This represents a deviation from the overall proportion of individuals having been identified as returnees (77%) and out-of-camp IDPs (23%) since 8 June.
Additionally, between 22 November and 3 January, a total of 3,555 individuals were recorded as departing from Dahuk Governorate (79%) – which is similar to the rates of individuals having departed from there since 8 June (81%). As with all previous rounds, between 22 November and 3 January, the majority of individuals from Dahuk were recorded as coming from the districts of Sumel (45% of all individuals) and Zakho (29%). The remaining individuals from Dahuk Governorate were recorded as coming from the districts of Dahuk (4% of all individuals) and Amedi (1%).
Additionally, between 22 November and 3 January, a further 810 individuals were recorded as having come from within Ninewa (18%), mainly from Al-Shikhan (14% of all individuals), with rest from and Sinjar (3%), Tilkaif (1%), and Mosul (<1%).
This proportion (18%) of individuals recorded as having come from Ninewa between 22 November and 3 January is consistent with the overall proportion of individuals recorded as having come from there since 8 June (18%). Otherwise, 31 individuals arrived from Sulaymaniyah Governorate (1%), while 40 individuals arrived from Erbil Governorate (1% of all individuals), and 48 individuals arrived from Kerbala Governorate (1%)—the first account of movements from there since data collection for this exercise commenced on 8 June.
Since 8 June, almost all individuals have been recorded as having departed from Sumel (49% of all individuals), Zakho (28%), and Al-Shikhan districts (14%).
Between 22 November and 3 January, of the 4,106 individuals who arrived to Sinjar District, 3,348 came from Dahuk Governorate (82%), while 639 came from within Ninewa (16%), 48 came from Kerbala (1%), and 31 came from Sulaymaniyah (1%). Additionally, of the 378 individuals who arrived to Al-Ba’aj District, 207 came from Dahuk (55%) and 171 came from within Ninewa (45%).
Furthermore, during the same period, a total of 2,826 individuals were recorded as coming from camp settings (63%), while the remaining 1,658 individuals came from out-of-camp settings (37%). This is broadly consistent with the rates of individuals coming from different settings since 8 June, as follows: 31,578 individuals have arrived from camp settings (70%) while 13,690 individuals have arrived from out-of-camp settings (30%).
Between 22 November and 3 January, increases were recorded in the number of individuals who had been living in camp settings in their previous districts of displacement. Since 8 June 2020, the total number of individuals now in Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj who have come from camp settings within Sumel is now 14,617 (up from 13,486), while Zakho’s is 10,808 (up from 9,705), and Al-Shikhan’s is 5,339 (up from 4,795).
In addition, since 8 June 2020, the total number of individuals who have come from out-of-camp settings within Sumel is now 7,507 (up from 6,598), while Zakho’s is now 2,078 (up from 1,889), and Al-Shikhan’s is 1,087 (up from 991).

March 2020 - February 2022

شیوع همه گیری کووید 19 در ابتدای سال 2020، بر پویایی جمعیتی در سطح جهانی و منطقه ای و همینطور در جمهوری اسلامی ایران تأثیرگذار بوده است که این تأثیر بیشتر به شکل ایجاد محدودیت ها یا تغییرات ناگهانی در مسافرت ها خود را نشان داده است.

به منظور درک بهتر چگونگی تأثیر همه گیری بر پویایی جمعیتی در سطح جهانی، سازمان بین المللی مهاجرت ابزاری برخط (آنلاین) و پایگاه داده ای ایجاد نموده است تا بتوان گذرگاه های ورودی، خروجی و گذار مانند فرودگاه ها، مرزهای زمینی و دریایی را که محدودیت های آمد و شد، اقدامات آمادگی و پاسخ به کووید 19 در آنجا صورت میگیرد، را به تصویر کشد. به منظور کمک به این تلاش ها، سازمان بین المللی مهاجرت در طول 24 ماه گذشته تلاش نموده است تا داده های مرتبط را از منابع رسمی دولتی جمع آوری نموده و در قالب این گزارش برای درک بهتر تأثیرات کووید 19 بر پویایی جمعیتی به نمایش در آورد. بر اساس داده های جمع آوری شده می توان تحلیل های جامعی از روندهای پویایی و محدودیت های ناشی از همه گیری داشت تا بتوان به صورت اثربخش تری برای مهار تأثیرات کووید 19 برنامه ریزی نمود.

در طول دوره ژانویه و فوریه سال 2022، سازمان بین المللی مهاجرت موفق گردید تا 93 گذرگاه و وضعیت آن ها را نمایش دهد. رایج ترین نوع گذرگاه های بررسی شده شامل 47 فرودگاه، 30 گذرگاه زمینی و 16 گذرگاه دریایی می باشد. شایان ذکر است که مبادی گذار در این تحلیل لحاظ نشده اند. در پایان ماه فوریه، 70 گذرگاه کاملا عملیاتی، 18 گذرگاه نیمه عملیاتی و 2 گذرگاه به طور کامل بسته بودند.

از 11 ژانویه 2022 محدودیتهای بین جمهوری اسلامی ایران و کشورهای همسایه برداشته شد و مسافران میتوانند با مدرک واکسیناسیون کووید 19 و تست RCP منفی کووید 19 وارد کشور شوند.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020 has affected global and regional mobility, including mobility in Iran (Islamic Republic of), through various travel disruptions and restrictions.

To better understand how the pandemic affects global mobility, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) developed an online tool and database to register points of entry, exit and transit - such as airports, land and blue border crossing points - where mobility restrictions and preparedness and response measures are in place. To support these efforts, over a period of 24 months, the Displacement Tracking Matrix Regional Evidence for Migration Analysis and Policy (DTM REMAP) team in Iran (Islamic Republic of) mapped and gathered data on the locations, statuses and restrictions at Points of Entry (PoE) in the country. The information gathered allows more in-depth analysis to uncover specific trends related to the locations, statuses and restrictions of PoEs in Iran (Islamic Republic of).

Between January and February 2022, the DTM REMAP team in Iran (Islamic Republic of) assessed 93 PoEs. The most common type of PoE reported was airports (47), followed by land borders (30) and blue borders (16). Internal transit points are not taken into account in this snapshot. At the end of February, 70 PoEs were fully operational, 18 were partially operational and two were fully closed.

On January 11 2022, restrictions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and neighboring countries were removed, allowing travelers to enter the country with proof of COVID-19 vaccinations and a negative PCR COVID-19 test.

Between 30 October and 21 November, DTM tracked 6,287 individuals (1,191 families) returning to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj districts in Iraq’s Ninewa Governorate.
This brings the total number of individuals who have taken this route to 40,724 (7,650 families) since data collection commenced on 8 June 2020.

In this reporting period, the average number of daily individual arrivals was 258 to Sinjar and 16 to Al-Ba’aj. In this period, the daily number of arrivals to Sinjar is higher than the overall daily average since 8 June (226), while the daily average number of arrivals to Al-Ba’aj is consistent with overall average since 8 June (21).

Of those individuals who returned between 30 October and 21 November, a total of 5,925 were recorded in Sinjar (94%) and 362 were recorded in Al-Ba’aj (6%) – broadly consistent with the rates of individuals’ districts of arrival since 8 June (91% to Sinjar and 9% to Al-Ba’aj). In almost all assessed locations, all individuals were identified as Yazidis, with this group composing 97 per cent of all individuals that have returned to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj since 8 June. Additionally, three per cent of all individuals have been identified as Kurd Sunni Muslims, and less than one per cent have been identified as Kurd Shia Muslims or Arab Sunni Muslims. The majority of these latter three groups were recorded as arriving to Sinjar District’s sub-districts of Markaz Sinjar and Qaeyrrawan, and Al-Ba’aj District’s sub-district of Al-Qahtaniya.

The most common sub-district of arrival was Al-Shamal with 3,633 individuals (58%), followed by Markaz Sinjar with 1,279 individuals (20%). Together, these two sub-districts comprise 78 per cent of all individuals recorded as having arrived to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj since data collection commenced on 8 June.
Otherwise, 1,013 individuals arrived to the sub-district of Qaeyrrawan (16%) and 362 arrived to Al-Qahtaniyah (6%).

Of those individuals identified as returning between 30 October and 21 November, 5,345 were recorded as returnees (85%), while the remaining 942 were recorded as out-of-camp IDPs (15%). This represents a deviation from the overall proportion of individuals having been identified as returnees (76%) and out-of-camp IDPs (24%) since 8 June.

Additionally, between 30 October and 21 November, a total of 5,272 individuals were recorded as departing from Dahuk Governorate (84%) – which is similar to the rates of individuals having departed from there since 8 June (81%). As with all previous rounds, between 30 October and 21 November, the majority of individuals from Dahuk were recorded as coming from the districts of Sumel (47% of all individuals) and Zakho (33%). The remaining individuals from Dahuk Governorate were recorded as coming from the districts of Amedi (2% of all individuals) and Dahuk (2% of all individuals).

Additionally, between 30 October and 21 November, a further 931 individuals were recorded as having come from within Ninewa (15%), mainly from Al-Shikhan (13% of all individuals), and the rest came from and Sinjar and Tilkaif (both 1%). This proportion (15%) of individuals recorded as having come from Ninewa between 30 October and 21 November is broadly consistent with the overall proportion of individuals recorded as having come from there since 8 June (18%). Otherwise, 65 individuals arrived from Sulaymaniyah Governorate (1%), while 19 individuals were recorded as arriving from Erbil Governorate (<1% of all individuals).

Since 8 June, almost all individuals have been recorded as having departed from Sumel (49% of all individuals), Zakho (28%), and Al-Shikhan districts (14%)

Between 17 and 29 October 2020, DTM tracked 2,803 individuals (546 families) returning to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj districts in Iraq’s Ninewa Governorate. This brings the total number of individuals who have taken this route to 34,164 (6,405 families) since data collection commenced on 8 June 2020.

In this reporting period, the average number of daily individual arrivals was 192 to Sinjar and 23 to Al-Ba’aj. In this period, the daily number of arrivals to Sinjar is lower than the overall daily average since 8 June (219), while the daily average number of arrivals to Al-Ba’aj is consistent with overall average since 8 June (22).

Of those individuals who returned between 17 and 29 October, a total of 2,501 were recorded in Sinjar (89%) and 390 were recorded in Al-Ba’aj (11%) – broadly consistent with the rates of individuals’ districts of arrival since 8 June.

The most common sub-district of arrival was Al-Shamal with 1,233 individuals (44%), followed by Qaeyrrawan with 645 individuals (23%), and Markaz Sinjar with 623 individuals (22%). Together, these three sub-districts comprise 91 per cent of all individuals recorded as having arrived to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj since data collection commenced on 8 June. Otherwise, 302 individuals arrived to the sub-district of Al-Qahtaniyah (11%).

Of those individuals identified as returning between 17 and 29 October, 2,212 were recorded as returnees (79%), while the remaining 591 were recorded as out-of-camp IDPs (21%). This represents a minor deviation from the overall proportion of individuals having been identified as returnees (74%) and out-of-camp IDPs (26%) since 8 June.

March 2020 - December 2021

شیوع همه گیری کووید 19 در ابتدای سال 2020، بر پویایی جمعیتی در سطح جهانی و منطقه ای و همینطور در جمهوری اسلامی ایران تأثیرگذار بوده است که این تأثیر بیشتر به شکل ایجاد محدودیت ها یا تغییرات ناگهانی در مسافرت ها خود را نشان داده است.

به منظور درک بهتر چگونگی تأثیر همه گیری بر پویایی جمعیتی در سطح جهانی، سازمان بین المللی مهاجرت ابزاری برخط (آنلاین) و پایگاه داده ای ایجاد نموده است تا بتوان گذرگاه های ورودی، خروجی و گذار مانند فرودگاه ها، مرزهای زمینی و دریایی را که محدودیت های آمد و شد، اقدامات آمادگی و پاسخ به کووید 19 در آنجا صورت میگیرد، را به تصویر کشد. به منظور کمک به این تلاش ها، سازمان بین المللی مهاجرت در طول 22 ماه گذشته تلاش نموده است تا داده های مرتبط را از منابع رسمی دولتی جمع آوری نموده و در قالب این گزارش برای درک بهتر تأثیرات کووید 19 بر پویایی جمعیتی به نمایش در آورد. بر اساس داده های جمع آوری شده می توان تحلیل های جامعی از روندهای پویایی و محدودیت های ناشی از همه گیری داشت تا بتوان به صورت اثربخش تری برای مهار تأثیرات کووید 19 برنامه ریزی نمود.

در طول دوره نوامبر و دسامبر سال 2021، سازمان بین المللی مهاجرت موفق گردید تا 93 گذرگاه و وضعیت آن ها را نمایش دهد. رایج ترین نوع گذرگاه های بررسی شده شامل 47 فرودگاه، 30 گذرگاه زمینی و 16 گذرگاه دریایی می باشد. شایان ذکر است که مبادی گذار در این تحلیل لحاظ نشده اند. در پایان ماه دسامبر 2021، 45 گذرگاه کاملا عملیاتی، 43 گذرگاه نیمه عملیاتی و 2 گذرگاه به طور کامل بسته بودند.

برای جلوگیری از انتقال ویروس کووید 19 گونه Omicron، مرزهای آبی و زمینی ایران و کشورهای همسایه بسته شد. سفر از هشت کشور آفریقایی و چهار کشور اروپایی به جز برای افراد دارای اقامت دائم، مجوز تحصیلی، پزشکی و تجاری و خانواده های دیپلمات ها ممنوع شد.