Rapid Media Needs Assessment - Iraq 2014

02 Sep, 2014

Arbat Camp - January 2014

Since mid of August 2013, thousands of Syrian refugees have crossed the border to find safety and assistance in Kurdistan. Whereas they needed urgently life-saving assistance they also have an high demand of information. Leaving home, family, friends, city, region and all references creates a significant gap for information from Syria.

International Media Support (IMS) due to their large media network in Sulaymaniyah and in Iraq decided to develop a project with local independent media and Syrian refugees.

They have chosen a pilot project in Arbat camp close to Sulaymaniyah where they are based. IMS wants to provide a weekly newsletter by paper and/or by mobile phone to the Syrian refugees in a camp, outside the camp, to the hosting community and to the Kurdish media. In this newsletter there will be some information about their rights, obligations, some stories from Iraq but also from Syria. The goal is as well to help the hosting communities and refugees to live together with respect by getting to know each other.

The aim of this rapid media needs assessment was to provide an overview of the situation inside Arbat Camp, but also outside the camp: for refugees living in Sulaymaniyah and host communities of Arbat town and Sulaymaniyah city. Key findings and results will highlight some priorities in term of information needs.

The assessment was carried out in cooperation with CartONG.

Find the report which presents the core findings of the assessment carried out in January-February 2014 and the main recommendations and conclusions resulting from a peer review of these findings validated during a follow-up visit to Sulaymaniyah in March 2014.

Report Available Here