UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

I. INTRODUCTION
“In the most significant displacement in the Middle East since the dramatic events
of 1948, one in eight Iraqis have been driven from their homes. Some 1.9 million
Iraqis are currently displaced inside the country and up to 2 million others have
fled abroad.”
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres,
opening speech at the International Conference on Addressing
the Humanitarian Needs of Refugees and Internally Displaced
Persons inside Iraq and in Neighbouring Countries,
17 April 2007
The fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein in April 2003, one of the most brutal and
repressive governments in the world, was a water-shed event in the history of Iraq. For
millions of Iraqis, it brought to a close an era marked by violence and fear. There was hope
of new government institutions that would operate according to the rule of law and respect
fundamental human rights. For hundreds of thousands refugees who fled Iraq during the
preceding three decades, the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein raised the possibility of
returning home. Indeed, more than 300,000 Iraqis returned home between 2003 and 2005,
either spontaneously or through the facilitation of UNHCR.
Four years have passed since then. Unfortunately, population movements have reversed.
With the deteriorating security situation, increasing sectarianism and the lack of
reconstruction and economic recovery, returns of refugees to Iraq have come to a standstill.
The fatal bombing of the holy shrine in Samarra in February 2006 was a critical turning
point in this regard. As the number of those returning to Iraq declined, those departing
increased, unnoticed at first, but soon evolving into what has now been described as an
exodus from the country. Iraqis from all walks of life, including Sunnis, Shi’ites, Kurds,
Christians and members of other religious and ethnic minorities, the educated elite, former
Ba’athists and persons suspected of being aligned with the current Government or the
MNF, are now fleeing their homes for safety. It is estimated that between 1,000 and 1,500
Iraqis flee the country every day. There are some 1.9 million Iraqis displaced internally in
Iraq, and up to two million in neighbouring countries, particularly Syria and Jordan.
Increasingly, Iraqis are also seeking refuge outside the region.
These Guidelines 6 are intended to facilitate the assessment of the international protection
needs of Iraqi asylum-seekers. They complement UNHCR’s Return Advisory and Position
on International Protection Needs of Iraqis Outside Iraq 7 issued in December 2006, and
6 Information in this paper is updated as of mid-February 2007, except where otherwise stated. For more
recent reporting, see: UN Assistance Mission in Iraq, Human Rights Office (UNAMI HRO), Human Rights
Report 1 January – 31 March 2007, available at http://www.uniraq.org/aboutus/HR.asp. Links to Internet
sites in the footnotes were accessed in February 2007, unless otherwise indicated, except for links to
UNHCR’s Refworld website (www.refworld.org) which were accessed in July 2007.
7 UNHCR, UNHCR Return Advisory and Position on International Protection Needs of Iraqis Outside
Iraq, 18 December 2006 (Corr., April 2007), available in UNHCR’s Refworld at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=46371aa72
(further: “UNHCR, 2006 Return Advisory”).
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