Syrian refugees in Iraq: the paradox of finding a haven in an unsafe place

Migration is a very old phenomena in human history. From time immemorial, people have often migrated from one place to another, covering great distances in a bid to pursue their personal interests. Lands considered to have moredesirable living conditions have become densely populated as a result. Some countries even have a large population because of immigrants, some of whom migrate due to civil war or conflicts. While the regional reaction and international attention has focused mostly on Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey in response to the Syrian crisis, it is unclear what the situation is for Syrian refugees in Iraq. In the Middle East, Iraq has roughly 250,184 acknowledged Syrian refugees, out of a total population of 5.6 million (4.4%). They are mostly of Kurdish ethnicity and arrived in Iraq after the events of 2012 and 2013. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, particularly the governorates of Erbil,Dahuk, and Sulaymaniyah, is home to nearly all of the country's Syrian refugees (KRI) as an estimated 98.8%. The last remaining Syrian refugees have been found in Iraq'scentral and western areas. A deeper understanding of the potential of Syrian refugees in Iraq is needed until Syria's conditions are favorable to a voluntary return to securityand dignity.Ref. code: 25646203040024ZKN(3)Moreover, study shows that Syria had previously been home to a lot of Iraqi refugees when there was a lot of unrest in Iraq. How Iraq, despite being unsafe is seenas a safe haven to the Syrian refugees that have chosen to ply their trade and live their lives over there still remains some sort of mystery. This particular study piqued my interest because being a person of Islamic origin with some affiliations to the Arabic part of the world; I have a sense ofidentification with these people and the fact that there are very few safe options out there appealed to me to even further study on it. Summarily, this study seeks to understand the possible reasons that caused the Syrians to move to Iraq despite it being no news that Iraq is not particularly safe for them. Since the beginning of the Syrian global disaster, about a quarter - million Syrianrefugees and asylum seekers have remained in Iraq, where they have endured difficult living conditions. Child labor and early marriage are becoming increasingly prevalent as aresult of the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the need for protection. The progress made in empowering refugees to become self-sufficient isin risk of being undone. The means available to help them, on the other hand, have been stretched to their limits. Approximately 60% of refugee households in Iraq have said that they have lowered their overall food intake and that they have taken on debt. Around a third of households are dependent on humanitarian financial aid. Access to basic health care has declined, particularly for women and girls in need of reproductive health care, while food insecurity has risen in recent years. Children are particularly at risk of not receiving a proper education, which is a serious concern. For refugee children, distance schooling has proven to be a difficult endeavor. The number of refugee boys and girls who were enrolled in formal elementary and high school prior to COVID-19 decreased to less than half of those whowere enrolled following the closure of physical schools.