The world's leading source of data and analysis on internal displacement

Natural events such as floods, earthquakes and fires force millions of people to flee their homes each year. At the end of 2023, 7.7 million people were living in internal displacement due to disasters. Not all disaster displacement is climate-related, but as climate change continues to make extreme weather events more common and more intense, ever more people are at risk of being forced to flee their homes.

Achieving durable solutions is a challenge for all displaced people, whether they remained within their own country or crossed an international border in their flight. IDMC’s research examines the conditions needed for the safe return of IDPs and refugees to their place of origin or for their integration in a new home, and assesses whether these conditions are met in different countries.

Internal displacement affects people’s lives, safety and well-being. But it can also limit their economic potential, leading to billions of dollars being lost each year and jeopardizing socioeconomic development for entire countries. This research measures the economic impacts of internal displacement at the global, national and individual levels to guide investments into more effective prevention and response.

Internal displacement is a complex phenomenon that cannot be measured with numbers of IDPs alone. IDMC has developed tools to complement its displacement figures with standardised assessments of the conditions in which IDPs live and of affected countries’ capacity to address the issue. These assessments are updated regularly to allow governments and their partners to monitor progress over time.