UNHCR Mosul Weekly Protection Update_Week2_Final - ReliefWeb

MOSUL WEEKLY PROTECTION UPDATE

29 October - 4 November, 2016

HIGHLIGHTS: As the military operation to re-take Mosul goes into its third week, 22,224 individuals have been displaced to Erbil, Anbar and Ninewa Governorates of Northern Iraq. Protection concerns identified among families reached by UNHCR Protection Monitoring Teams include lack of civil documentation, restrictions on movement, as well as other concerns due to security screening. UNHCR and partners in Iraq are working to ensure that vulnerable groups, especially women and children, have access to protection assistance in an efficient and timely manner. KEY FIGURES

:

TURKEY

Affected Population 1.5 milion people expected to be impacted in Mosul and surrounding areas 22,224* people currently displaced Governorate of diplacement

SYRIA LEGEND

1.4%

Erbil Anbar

21,462

Clashes

2.0%

0

Sinjar

IDP Camp

96.6%

Ninewa

Mosul

Displacement Route

100

Zone 1

Protection Monitoring 2,020 families reached by protection monitors 21% of families headed by a female 55 unaccompanied or separated children 63% of families missing civil documentation 443 families referred for cash assistance

318

Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4

Age and Gender of persons reached by protection monitors Age

Male

Female

IRAN 444

Tikrit

0

100 km

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations

For more information contact: Sumbul Rizvi [email protected]

Source: UNHCR Partners, *IOM/DTM and Open Street Map

Geographic Coordinate System: GCS_WFS_1984

MOSUL WEEKLY PROTECTION UPDATE PROTECTION UPDATES

Ad-hoc Security Screening Security screening is undertaken in all areas of displacement and return for men and boys (over 13/14 years old). Security screening is in principle a reasonable and justifiable measure to ensure safety and security of populations including those displaced, however, the management of the security screening process poses a range of protection concerns and risks to IDPs which includes disappearances, family separations, lengthy detentions and exploitation and abuse. The reports of detention of men and boys, both at the mustering point and IDP camps, were regularly received during this week. In response, the UNHCR has intervened with authorities for a more speedy, transparent and judicious process of security screening. A Protection Brief has been shared with the HCT and Protection Cluster. UNHCR, with its partners are monitoring these cases. Additionally, UNHCR is liaising with ICRC regarding restoring their family links program, through which ICRC assist families with the tracing of their family members who had been detained/arrested by security authorities. Lack of civil documentation The IDPs arriving in various camps reported about missing documents such as Civil Identity Cards, Public Distribution System (PDS) Cards, marriage certificate and birth certificate. The problem seems to be acute for the civilians recently displaced from the areas controlled by ISIL. It has been reported that ISIL is increasingly forcing civilians to surrender their civil IDs. UNHCR, during the reporting period, collected information on cases with missing documents, as part of Protection Monitoring, and followed them with relevant Civil Affairs Offices. An information campaign on documentation among camp residents will be initiated soon. Restriction on Movement Many IDPs continue to express concern over freedom of movement. The issue, on the one hand affects those civilians, who intend to return as soon as possible as they have left behind their livestock. In some other cases, it restricts the IDPs to leave the camp and reunite with their relatives living in the vicinity. This issue feeds into another protection concern of the inconsistent application of the sponsorship programme. In its efforts to counter this anticipated protection concern, UNHCR has been advocating for enhanced sponsorships. UNHCR has developed a note on the

29 October - 4 November, 2016

sponsorship and the protection concern emerging as a result of it and shared the note with the humanitarian actors. At the field level, UNHCR, in Hasansham camp, regularly communicated with the authorities as a result of which relatives were allowed to visit IDPs in the camp. Capacity-building for Partners

A Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Child Protection (CP) sensitization session was organized for the protection monitoring teams in Erbil (20 individuals) and Duhok (37 individuals). The session trained UNHCR's partners on identification and referral of key SGBV and CP issues including child recruitment by armed actors; protection of unaccompanied and separated children; sexual violence; and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). As there has been an increase in a number of children being detained during screening, the training, at length highlighted this concern. Initiation of Southern Ninewa Protection Working Group Under the aegis of the National Protection Cluster and on request of the partners working in Southern Ninewa, UNHCR has initiated a Protection Working Group (PWG) for the region. The PWG will support in ensuring a more cohesive response especially in the Qayyarah and Haj Ali Sites where large numbers of IDPs are currently being hosted, and this number is expected to increase as the military offensive in Mosul progresses. Other protection concerns that were observed during the week Family reunification - In general visiting families have been denied access to the Camps. UNHCR is working with partners to ensure the guidelines for such visits are clearly communicated. Safety - Absence of electricity in some camps. Families in general and women, in particular, are afraid to use WASH facilities and fetch water after dark. UNHCR is continuing its advocacy efforts and meanwhile planning to distribute solar lanterns in the camp. Returns - Indications of urging by authorities to return IDPs to recently retaken villages considered as safe by ISF, are reported. While some IDPs have been returning on their own accord, despite the villages not cleared of booby traps. UNHCR’s position does not allow it to support unsafe returns. The office continues to advocate with the authorities for safe, voluntary and dignified return.

For more information contact: Sumbul Rizvi [email protected]