- Returnees consistently report high levels of acceptance in surveys, but their experiences after leaving Al Amal reveal a more varied reality.
- Community perspectives on returnees are mixed, highlighting differences between reported acceptance and lived reintegration experiences.
- The findings point to a continued need for targeted reintegration efforts and more nuanced data to better inform policy and programming.
This publication details research findings derived from following the reintegration journeys of hundreds of Iraqis who returned from Al-Hol Camp in Syria and spent time in Al Amal Rehabilitation Centre in Iraq, with particular attention to their post-conflict experiences and the perceptions of the communities that receive them.
Analysis of this data indicates that although quantitative measures consistently report high self-reported acceptance rates among returnees, qualitative research and community responses raise questions about the utility of relying solely on these types of acceptance metrics without additional community and reintegration-in-practice metrics, and qualitative research. The brief concludes by discussing potential implications for further research, policy and programming, indicating a continued need to understand and address specific acceptance barriers for returnees across Iraq.
Citation: Jente Althuis, Tobias Sauer, Moritz Hoene, Muqaddas Sammarraie, Noor Alzuber and Siobhan O’Neil. Social Acceptance of Iraqi Returnees from Al-Hol Camp. Geneva: UNIDIR, 2026. doi.org/10.37559/MEAC/26/04