Contributed by Global South World
According to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, internally displaced persons (IDPs) are “persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalised violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognised state border.”
Nigeria has experienced a surge in IDPs in recent years, with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimating the number to be 3.7 million people, distributed across around 3,900 camps and settlements mostly located in the country’s northern region.
This big figure strains resources, as Nigeria battles economic hardship and rising inflation, threatening the survival of many, especially the poor and unemployed, according to a recent study.
The displacement crisis in Africa’s most populous country is fuelled by persistent conflict, harsh climatic events, unfavourable environmental circumstances and the desperate search for economic opportunity.
Dimanche Sharon, IOM’s Chief of Mission in the West African nation, highlights their efforts to provide basics like water, shelter and protection to help the displaced cope and safely return to their homes.
However, she notes the need to address the underlying causes of internal displacement, such as building resilient communities and fostering collaborations across government institutions and development partners, for sustainability.
“When they return home, for instance, when communities receive these displaced populations… they need economic opportunities and support so they can move forward in dignity,” she adds, revealing that over 9,000 migrants from Edo State have been helped to return to their homes and that the organisation has supported approximately 8,000 to rebuild their lives.
Meanwhile, the IOM’s strategic priorities include saving lives by providing immediate humanitarian assistance, offering protection services and facilitating processes that enable displaced people to recover and reconstruct.
Internal displacement is not unique to Nigeria. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), about 35 million people in Africa were considered internally displaced by the end of 2023, with conflict and violence accounting for 32.5 million, including Sudan’s approximately 10.1 million.
This is deeply concerning, especially as the African Union seeks to achieve a “conflict-free continent with harmony among communities at the grassroots level and inter–state and intra-state wars eliminated and mechanisms put in place to prevent and resolve conflicts”.
Nigeria’s humanitarian situation demonstrates the need to fill gaps in the country’s response capability and strategy to address conflict-inducing factors like non-state armed violence, weak state presence, limited access to justice and exposure to harsh environmental and climatic events.
The Nigerian government must work with relevant stakeholders to strengthen inclusiveness and shield vulnerable groups like women and girls, “who face heightened exposure to violence, neglect, discrimination, abuse and exploitation” when there are protection gaps.
This aligns with the legal framework for the protection of internally displaced persons, which demands that IDPs enjoy, equally and without discrimination, the same rights and freedoms under international and national law, just like other persons in their country.
This article was originally published by Global South World and is republished here with permission. View the original article.
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