Baghdad, Iraq- Compensation for displaced individuals returning to their homes has been suspended due to funding shortages, resulting in fewer residents leaving camps in the Kurdistan Region. According to a spokesperson from Iraq’s migration ministry, this pause is linked to the delayed approval of the national budget, preventing the necessary funds from being allocated for returnee support.
The Iraqi government previously announced that returning families would receive four million dinars as part of efforts to encourage camp departures. Additional incentives include job opportunities in public and private sectors, monthly social security payments for vulnerable individuals, and interest-free bank loans.
However, many Yazidi families who returned to Shingal have yet to receive the promised financial support. As of February, more than one million Iraqis remain displaced, with roughly 109,000 residing in camps across the Kurdistan Region.
In 2024 alone, over 10,000 displaced families — representing more than 100,000 people — have returned to their homes across Iraq. Meanwhile, funding challenges have affected the conditions in several Kurdistan Region camps, as humanitarian efforts increasingly focus on development rather than emergency response.
Human rights organizations have voiced concerns about Iraq’s approach to closing displacement camps, emphasizing that all returns should be voluntary, safe, and dignified. Many families remain hesitant to leave the camps due to ongoing violence in their hometowns, limited reconstruction efforts, and inadequate access to essential services. Some who previously attempted to return were ultimately forced back into the camps due to these challenges.
