Internal migrants, challenges and solutions: Prolonged displacement creates dependence on the humanitarian system and has consequences for future generations

ROMA – There are fifteen countries that currently host 37.5 of the 71.1 million internally displaced people worldwide, we learn from the website Info-Cooperation, the portal for Italian humanitarian workers. This was revealed by a study recently published by Global Data Institute (GDI) dell’International Organization for Migration – IOM which analyzes the conditions of the so-called IDPs Internally Displaced Peopleinternally displaced people, their needs and possible solutions to overcome this condition of extreme vulnerability widened by the escalation of humanitarian crises.

A condition that lasts over time and creates addiction. Indeed, prolonged displacement and dependence on humanitarian assistance have far-reaching consequences, impacting several generations of internally displaced people, returnees and host communities who are among the most vulnerable people in the world. The PROGRESS report focuses on these 15 countries, providing crucial information on the challenges and opportunities faced by internally displaced people, from job creation, security, health to promoting a new sense of belonging within communities with the aim of reduce disparities between internally displaced people and host communities.

The 15 countries selected. To complement existing data, 74 focus groups were conducted in the countries selected as pilots (Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Vanuatu and Yemen). with internally displaced people, returnees and host communities to reveal from the communities affected by displacement what the main obstacles and possible solutions are. One of the most interesting findings is that internally displaced people who have access to adequate housing are three times more likely to not rely on humanitarian assistance and twice as likely to have access to a stable income.

What the data tells us. The data confirms that the longer displaced people remain displaced, the more likely they are to prefer local integration or settlement elsewhere rather than returning home. However, there are important variations depending on the causes of displacement (conflict or natural hazard), living situation (camp or non-camp), age and gender. The latter is the most significant departure which highlights the need for targeted interventions in areas such as security, income stability and housing for female-headed families.

The decisive role of inclusive finance. One of the most sustainable solutions appears to be empowerment through inclusive finance for development. Empowering internally displaced people through initiatives such as microfinance and small business support is an effective path to self-sufficiency. More generally the report identifies the importance of people-centred and operationally relevant strategies. Long-term solutions, including local integration, job creation, security and a sense of belonging, are key to achieving sustainable outcomes.