Timeframe

At the start of the cycle, the list of locations identified in the Master Lists is given to the field teams and is used as the baseline for the Location Assessment. If new locations are identified during the assessment implementation, they are not included in the baseline and, hence, are not subject to assessment.

It takes approximately three months to assess all locations identified at the beginning of the data collection cycle. This process is periodically carried out using the most up-to-date Master Lists as baselines.

Coverage

The reported coverage refers to the number of locations assessed versus the baseline. Consequently, this geographical coverage does not aim to take into account the number of families living in the locations, because this number is fluid and can change between the date of the baseline and the date of the assessment.

Data collection and quality control

In addition to the direct observation of the location, IOM’s RARTs are instructed to interview several key informants (including members of the IDP and Returnee community) to get a comprehensive understanding of the situation in each location, and to cross-verify the information obtained. At the end of the key informant interviews, RARTs fill one (ODK) form with the summary of the information collected, and the data is then uploaded to the server and stored as one assessment. The system automatically performs quality checks and assigns a credibility score to the assessment based on four questions answered by the RARTs on the quality and consistency of the information collected (click here to download the detailed methodology).

Information collected through Location Assessments

Although there are different questions targeted to IDPs and returnees separately, information routinely collected by the Location Assessment is:

• Geographical information (governorate, district, sub district, location, and GPS coordinates of the place where the population is assessed).
• Governorate of origin.
• Wave/period of displacement.
• Shelter type.
• Reasons of displacement.
• Future intentions.
• Feeling of safety and security and common security incidents.
• Needs and problems associated to fulfilling needs.
• SADD (Sex & Age Disaggregated Data).

Sex and age disaggregated data (SADD)

Sex and age disaggregated data (SADD) is collected on a random sample of 30 families of each group (IDPs and/or returnees or both) in each location. Age data is collected and aggregated into six-year age groups (0-5; 6-12; 13-17; 18-45; 46-59; 60 and above). The 30 families are sampled randomly from the lists made available by the local authorities or by the representatives of the site (in the cases of a single site).

To obtain the overall number of individuals in each sex and age group in a given location, the percentage distribution of individuals in each sex and age group is calculated and re-proportioned against the total number of individuals living in one location, i.e. the percentage of IDP individuals in each sex and age group is multiplied by the total number of IDP individuals in the location.

Numbers are aggregated to represent sex and age figures at the district or governorate level. The precision of these estimates is variable: the higher the number of IDPs in a location, the less precise the estimates are. The precision decreases considerably when numbers are added up at a district or governorate level. Therefore, these numbers must be read with caution, taking into account the way they were collected and aggregated for analysis by the DTM.

Protection indicators in the Location Assessments

As part of a global initiative supported by several donors, IOM has enhanced the type of data collected by the DTM to include protection indicators in order to provide a more holistic picture of displacement and its consequences on the affected population. DTM Iraq, with support from SIDA and PRM, has engaged with protection actors to redesign data collection tools to include specific indicators informing GBV and protection risks, in particular, in relation to site layout and infrastructure, security, priority legal needs, protection issues, child protection concerns, women’s knowledge about the availability of GBV services in camps and camp-like settings and their active participation in the provision of such services.

By incorporating these indicators, the DTM tools allow for the identification of protection issues, thereby ensuring that humanitarian actors are well informed of the vulnerabilities and most pressing protection needs of the displaced populations in Iraq.