Given that Iraq is a point of origin, transit, and destination for migrants and refugees, the patterns of migration in the country are diverse. The Iraqi government seeks to manage return and re-admission from multiple angles, particularly because Iraq receives not only voluntary and forced return requests but must also consider rights-based approaches from the perspective of host countries. Iraq has taken serious steps towards enhancing the governance of migration return and re-admission since the launch of its national migration management strategy. On this basis, the Iraqi government has started improving its civil registration system to facilitate access to legal identity, which is a step towards safely and orderly managing migration return in a rights-based manner. While Iraq does not have a comprehensive law on migration and asylum, and its law is limited to the 1971 political asylum law, it adopts a human rights-based approach in dealing with migration and return issues. Iraq has signed eight out of nine international human rights treaties under international human rights law.
As a supporter of the Global Compact for Migration, Iraq has shown leadership in the area of return and re-admission, especially given its progress in fulfilling its commitments, including the recent establishment of a national referral mechanism, enhanced cooperation on re-admission, and improved technical capacities regarding return operations. The management of return and re-admission requires the involvement of a broad range of stakeholders at both national and international levels. Iraq can strengthen national coordination among actors involved in return, including governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, international actors, and civil society organizations.
