Beyond the losses caused by a disaster’s destructive force, less direct consequences can also impact the economy. One is the inability of people displaced by the disaster to continue their habitual work. By disconnecting people from their productive activity for days, weeks, months or even years, internal displacement reduces economic production. In the case of the earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015, this reduction amounted to nearly two per cent of the country’s GDP, or $406 million.

This paper is part of IDMC's thematic series "The ripple effect: economic impacts of internal displacement". The series aims to measure the effects of internal displacement on the economic potential of internally displaced people, host communities and societies as a whole, bridging the knowledge gap through innovative research, partnerships with experts and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines and consultations with policy stakeholders concerned with economic development.

Uncovering the hidden cost of internal displacement would help make the case for increased country-led investments in risk reduction and durable solutions. Past studies have assessed the impact of international migration and refugee flows on work and other singular dimensions such as health or education. Others have attempted to assess the socioeconomic impact of cross-border or internal displacement at the local level.
 
However, a systematic, quantitative estimate of the overall impact of internal displacement on an economy has yet to be made, and doing so requires new concepts and methods. This document, as part of IDMC's thematic series "The ripple effect",  introduces a new conceptual framework to assess the economic impact of internal displacement comprehensively across dimensions, time, countries and displacement contexts.

The conceptual framework is also available in French and Spanish.

On the occasion of the thematic discussion for the global compact on refugees (November 2017) we publish a new policy brief , as part of IDMC's thematic series "The invisible majority", reviewing the existing policy and research and set out our position on returning refugees, internal displacement and durable solutions. Such research was collected with the aim of informing this week’s thematic discussions, and we provide concrete suggestions for input to the global compact’s programme of action.

In the absence of systematic data along the displacement continuum, this paper, as part of IDMC's thematic series "The invisible majority", aims to shed some light on the push and pull factors throughout the displacement journey and on the wide spectrum of returning refugee and IDP experiences in Syria.

At the end of 2017, internal displacement in Afghanistan was back on a rising trend. As the conflict deteriorated, so too did the welcome of Afghans in neighbouring countries. As many as half a million undocumented Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan between January and November 2017, many by force.

The data presented in this case study, as part of IDMC's thematic series "The invisible majority", is drawn from 2017 research on IDPs’ protection needs carried out by Samuel Hall for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). It looks at the main challenges former refugees and migrants who have returned home to internal displacement, known as returnee-IDPs, face in achieving durable solutions, and argues that returnees who continue to face needs related to displacement and should be included in planning and policy for internal displacement.

Local human rights organisation Cristosal and IDMC conducted 16 surveys and four in-depth interviews in autumn 2017 with returnees who had fled El Salvador to escape violence. The study, as part of IDMC's thematic series "The invisible majority", was designed to examine conditions for returning deportees and the risks of them becoming internally displaced, often not for the first time. 

As a result of the lack of comprehensive quantitative data on internal displacement in El Salvador, the study also brings together qualitative data and analysis of other information on issues such as violence, crime and human mobility, to build a clearer picture of how the phenomenon is developing and its impacts on those affected.

Initial findings from the Guatemala report suggest that ‘structural’ violence - a term used to describe social mechanisms, state institutions and cultural norms that prevent people from meeting their basic needs - causes more displacement than direct violence. However, forced evictions, threats from gangs, domestic abuse and the persecution of minority groups also act as displacement triggers.

This new research, as part of IDMC's thematic series "Web of violence: crime and displacement in Central America", debunks a popular misconception that people from Central America who cross the border towards the US are eagerly awaiting their chance to access “the American dream”. Patterns of population movement within Guatemala suggest the opposite. The research found that people make substantial efforts to avoid having to leave their home communities. And violence, crime and displacement combine to trap vulnerable people, particularly the young, in a downward spiral, where committing further violence and crime is their only chance of survival.

The study draws on field research in Guatemala and an extensive desk review of relevant literature, both undertaken between February and May 2018. 

Download the executive summary for our report on Guatemala (PDF, 0.5MB) in English or Spanish.

Preliminary findings from the El Salvador report reveal that criminal violence is highly targeted an individualised. In the absence of coordinated state support, people rely on their own networks and often don’t report their situation for fear of reprisal. This means they have few safe options inside the country, which leads to repeated displacement, severe restrictions on freedom of movement and significant crossborder flight.

The research, as part of IDMC's thematic series "Web of violence: crime and displacement in Central America", also reveals that, in attempting to combat extremely high levels of violence in El Salvador, repressive state security measures have triggered new displacement, as gangs target police and their families, and security forces target young people in gang-affected areas.

The study draws on extensive desk research covering the academic literature and latest empirical reports, and qualitative data collected in 51 interviews with 80 experts in El Salvador and Mexico City during March and April 2018. 

Download the executive summary for our report on El Salvador (PDF, 0.3MB) in English or Spanish.

Somalia experienced a sharp increase in new displacements associated with both conflict and disasters in 2017 and the first half of 2018. Many of those displaced have moved from rural areas to the country’s main cities in search of shelter, protection and humanitarian assistance. Mogadishu has been at the centre of the recent displacement crisis. Within the city, forced evictions have triggered secondary displacement, and data shows that the vast majority of those evicted had already been displaced before. Displacement is clearly shaping Somalia’s urban landscape and contributing to its urbanisation rate, which is one of the highest in the world.

This is the second case study in our thematic series “Unsettlement: urban displacement in the 21st century”. It discusses the latest developments in terms of rural to urban displacement in Somalia and the ongoing situation in the capital. By examining the drivers and patterns of urban displacement, it aims to contribute to broader discussions on the nature of the phenomenon, increase knowledge and inform programming and policymaking to address and reduce it. 

Almost 300,000 internally displaced people live in Maiduguri, Nigeria, a country where displacement is driven by a number of factors including insecurity – mainly due to Boko Haram - weak governance and climate change. The large-scale influx of IDPs in urban centres challenges existing social dynamics as competition for scarce jobs and resources increases, however at the same time it can create socioeconomics gains as IDPs bring skills, resources and other assets that benefit cities. This first case study, as part of IDMC's thematic series "UnSettlement: urban displacement in the 21st century", explores the challenges and opportunities for IDPs in Maiduguri and their participation in the city’s economy.