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Abstract
Forced displacement from Syria has resulted in one of the largest refugee populations worldwide, and the most protracted displacement in the Middle East. In the presence of the complex security dynamics in the region, durable solutions are difficult and require careful considerations. Using a multi-site qualitative and participatory methods, this research examines:
(a) the feasibility of voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement in a third country for Syrian refugees.
(b) the ‘State’ practice of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) in terms of refugee protection and its response to their entitlement to education, health care, employment, and residency.
The report highlights certain flaws in the Syrian refugees’ predicament which the KRI government, international organisations and the international community urgently need to address to implement an effective solution to the crisis.
The findings also show that the preferred durable solution for the majority of the Syrian refugees is onward migration and resettlement in third countries. Both local integration and voluntary repatriation were viewed as largely unworkable, since the KRI, as part of Iraq, is not signatory to the Refugee Convention, and current local legislations are inadequate to regulate asylum. Importantly, voluntary return to Syria is still impeded by security concerns and the lack of development in their regions of origin.
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About MERI
The Middle East Research Institute (MERI) is internationally ranked as Iraq’s leading think tank and policy research institute. As an independent, non-profit, grant-funded organisation, MERI advances evidence-based policymaking, democratic governance, and sustainable development through research, policy analysis, dialogue, and public engagement. MERI’s research focuses on Iraq, the Levant and the wider Middle East, covering governance, state-building, foreign policy, regional security, post-conflict recovery, violent extremism, displacement, minority rights, women’s rights, civil society, Baghdad–Erbil relations, and broader geopolitical developments. Through its publications, policy dialogues, and the annual MERI Forum, MERI brings together policymakers, diplomats, academics, and civil society leaders to promote informed debate and practical policy solutions for the region’s most pressing challenges.