Participatory Assessment Report: Kurdistan Region of Iraq - 2017

The objective of the Participatory Assessment is to provide information on specific thematic areas and guidance for planning and programming by gathering views, feedback and experiences shared directly by UNHCR’s population of concern; namely refugees and internally displaced Iraqis.

The 2017 Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I) Participatory Assessment (PA) involved 120 focus group discussions (FGDs) and five semi-structured interviews across 41 locations in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Dohuk governorates. The locations covered included camp and non-camp areas. UNHCR and its partners utilized the Age, Gender and Diversity approach in consulting 1,322 persons of concern (including 742 females) of different age and backgrounds. The exercise was conducted in September 2017. Participants’ feedback was compiled using a systematic and solution-oriented approach.

The overarching concerns of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) consulted for the 2017 PA include administrative and bureaucratic hindrances in issuing documentation; lack of employment opportunities due to the on-going economic crisis; issues related to child protection with regard to child labour and child marriage; limited access to, and low quality of, education; poor housing and living conditions; and reduction of assistance and services from humanitarian actors and local authorities. Most groups also mentioned limitations for social cohesion and some reports of tensions with host community. Many also highlighted opportunities and concrete solutions to address some of these challenges.