6.4 Durable solutions for IDPs and returnees in post-conflict Iraq Iraq: Commitment and involvement of government and a broad range of actors in a complex

6.4 Durable solutions for IDPs and returnees in post-conflict Iraq

Iraq: Commitment and involvement of government and a broad range of actors in a

complex urban response


Displacement in Baghdad

Source: UN-Habitat; IOM

Roughly 1.6 million Iraqis displaced following violence in 2006:

Host families, rental, new housing, IDP Camps/Informal Settlements


Displacement in Baghdad: Camps

Concrete Block House. Photo by NRC

Straw House Photo by NRC

Vacated Government Building used by IDPs. Photo by NRC

Tin Can Houses. Photo by NRC


Durable Solutions: Options & Approaches

RETURN ( 35%) INTEGRATE (44 %) RESETTLE (16 %)Source IOM 2011

By now: 80% of IDPs in camps in Baghdad wish to integrate locally (NRC)

Survey of Camps in Baghdad (Source NRC 2011)

National Level IDP Requirements on Durable Solutions

Baghdad IDP Requirements on Durable Solutions


Direct implementation challenges

• Access to land• Access to services• Allocation process• Livelihood and social capital• Cost – is it justified in middle

income country?UN-Habitat IDP Housing in Soran


Longer-term shelter solutions for people affected by displacement

StrategyPrinciplesLand for HousingDispute ResolutionBasic ServicesHousing OptionsHousing FinanceHost communityLivelihoodsGovernance

Iraq National Strategy


Relocation (ideally locally)

Durable Solutions: Options & Approaches

Upgrading

Land Sharing Pool land together to

conduct urban upgrading

Focus on collaboration among landowners, land users, the government, and private developers

RETURN INTEGRATE RESETTLE


Relocation

When to Relocate?

1. Residents understand the need to relocate and agree.

a. Lost land or hazardous land.

b. Conflict/Insecurity threatens lives.

c. Land is not suited/ zoned for residential uses

2. Public Interest (i.e. right of way, school, clinic).

3. Relocation site meets requirements.

4. Clear plan to stop future encroachment and use land


When to upgrade?

1. Housing conditions in the

settlement are acceptable to the

IDPs in the short run.

2. The involved IDPs cannot return to

place of origin.

3. Land is not needed for public uses.

4. Existing land subdivision, land uses, and building structures

meet planning standards.

5. The settlement is free of health and environmental hazard risks.

In-situ Upgrading


When to conduct land sharing?

1. The involved IDPs prefer to stay in the area because of jobs or income generating opportunities and social capital.

2. The community is organized and values improvements in neighborhood amenities.

3. The area is under redevelopment pressure with high land value increment potentials.

4. Different land interests are willing to explore win-win options and to compromise.

5. Local governments are eager to redevelop the area but lack financial resources.

Land Sharing


•Technical Committee: Ministries – Displacement; Municipalities; Housing; Agriculture; Baghdad PC; Baghdad Mayorality •Key Decision Makers – Prime Minister Office; Governor of Baghdad; •Communities: opinion surveys•Provincial Council; District Councils•Private Sector

Relocate: Only if it is the only option (this is a huge turnaround of government opinion)

Upgrading: Not popular with government but could be considered in low value, peripheral sites

Land Sharing: Preferred Option

Consensus Reached for Baghdad

Stakeholders


BEFORE: 1120 families living informally – high proportion IDPs

Value Capture through Land Sharing: Informal settlement, 9 Nissan, Baghdad


Value Capture through Land Sharing: Informal settlement, 9 Nissan, Baghdad


Design

After


Sequencing

Phase 1


Sequencing

Phase 2


Sequencing

Phase 3


Outcomes • Creates public and private land spaces:

– Social housing—131,000 m2 (35%): 2080 units

– private residential—93,000 m2 (25%): 1010 units

– commercial/industrial—12,900 m2 (3%)

– Governmental—11,800 m2 (3%)

– Educational and other social services 16,500 m2 (4%)

– open/green space—13,000 m2 (4%)

– Street and main roads—77,000 m2 (22%)

• Generates a surplus of 94.8 billion IQD (US$82 million)

• Requires an initial capital investment of 11.3 billion IQD (US$9.8 million),

leading to an IRR of roughly 123%


Programme Components (UN-H +NRC + Iraqis)

Pilot Projects– different custodians and investors

Normative Framework – decision making tools (land sharing, upgrading, relocation); implementation tools – enumeration; cooperative housing; pro-poor housing finance; legislation

District Strategies – that will be incorporated into Baghdad Master Plan

Going to Scale – political will; strong partners; clear evidence based strategy; experience learned; cost recovery

Consensus Building – getting agreement amongst stakeholders on the right approaches

Community engagement – enumerations; District Council Coordination Meetings (NRC +UNHCR)


Results so far

1 – consensus of high level government on land sharing approach: pilot projects initiated

2 – agreement of Ministry of Housing to provide 25% of new houses built to IDPs (9000 units handed over since Jan 2012)

3 – COM Order 254 issued enabling land to be allocated to residents of informal settlements

4 – Amanat Baghdad is formalising 14 settlements – MOCH will provide housing

5 – Poverty Alleviation Committee is preparing a national programme to address all informal settlements

Documents

6.4 Durable solutions for IDPs and returnees in post-conflict Iraq Iraq: Commitment and involvement of government and a broad range of actors in a complex