Cross Border Mobility is a project that aims to contribute to a better understanding of profiles, migration route and migration drivers of population on the move by collecting data on population movements at land border points strategically selected inside the country. The project also contributes to raise the awareness of relevant actors on immediate and medium term needs of population on the move, informing humanitarian programs as well as possible development strategies and planning for the improvement of safe, regular, and orderly migration.

The data, which is collected at regular intervals by utilizing contextualized DTM’s Flow Monitoring component, provides a unique opportunity to uncover specific trends regarding the volume of flows, profiles, and vulnerabilities of travelers. The analysis of data further provides a proxy on issues that may signify protection risks and concern among travelers passing through the monitored border crossing points for reasons relating to labour which are available here.

Datasets

Returnees from Abroad
Jul 2024

Returnees from Abroad
Feb 2024

Returnees from Abroad
Oct 2023

Returnees from Abroad
Jun 2023

Returnees from Abroad
Jan 2023

Returnees from Abroad
Sep 2022

Returnees from Abroad
Jun 2022

Returnees from Abroad
Mar 2022

Returnees from Abroad
Dec 2021

Returnees from Abroad
Sep 2021

Returnees from Abroad
Jul 2021

Returnees from Abroad
Apr 2021

Returnees from Abroad
Feb 2021

Returnees from Abroad
Dec 2020

Returnees from Abroad
Oct 2020

Cross-border monitoring provides data on the number of individuals and vehicles transiting through five selected border points with Turkey, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is focused on profiling the travellers and migrants in terms of their demographic characteristics, reasons for travel and vulnerabilities. The border points are the following:

  • Ibrahim Al-Khalil in Dahuk Governorate, bordering Turkey;
  • Fishkhabour in Dahuk Governorate, bordering the Syrian Arab Republic;
  • Bashmagh in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, bordering the Islamic Republic of Iran;
  • Zurbatiyah (Wassit Terminal) in Wassit Governorate, bordering the Islamic Republic of Iran; and
  • Al-Shalamcha in Basrah Governorate, bordering the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Data for the Travellers’ Profile is collected through observation and face-to-face interviews every month, starting in January 2020, while data for the Migrants’ Profile is collected continuously and reported every three months.

Data is collected through IOM’s enumerators, composed of over 14 staff members deployed across Iraq (35% of enumerators are female) at the 5 border crossing points, 5 days per week (weekdays only) from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

Travellers for face-to-face interviews are selected randomly through the adoption of a ‘systematic step/interval’ selection process – i.e. travellers are systematically selected at fixed intervals from the start of the workday. The interval is fixed at 1:5 (one in every five individuals will be selected for an interview). All travellers aged 18 years and older who were crossing borders were eligible for an interview, regardless of their nationality. To estimate the total number of travellers and their characteristics, the sampling weight is applied.

The reference population for cross-border monitoring is:

  1. travellers (Iraqis and non-Iraqis) who enter Iraq after being abroad (incoming flow); and
  2. travellers (Iraqis and non-Iraqis) who exit Iraq to travel to other countries (outgoing flow).

Within the reference population, some travellers are of specific interest – for example, migrants (defined as travellers entering/leaving Iraq for more than three months). To identify this population, all sampled travellers are asked a screening question about the length of travel to check whether he/she satisfies the criteria.

The resulting data is representative of the individuals crossing at each of the selected border points separately only during a specific period. Data should not be generalized and does not represent a full picture of inter and intra-regional migration, but rather of migration flows at the selected border points. Data collected in assessed border points should not lead to assumptions about border crossings in non-assessed border points or areas without monitoring points.

An overview of the methodology behind the Flow Monitoring activities, please consult the Methodological Overview. For a more detailed presentation of the implementation and steps, please consult the Detailed Methodological Guide.