Strengthening knowledge, evidence use and leadership in the Global South on forced displacement: focus on East Africa

About this project

The Eastern Africa region hosts the largest number of refugees on the African continent. In 2020, a staggering 13.9 million people were facing internal or cross-border displacement in Africa. Of these, 7.7 million are in East Africa. Most of those who are internally displaced are women, children and youth under the age of 18. The region is characterized by developmental challenges and shifting demographics as populations grow and migrate towards urban centres, other parts of the region or beyond. The drivers are forced conflict, political insecurity and environmental catastrophes such as floods and a severe drought in the Horn of Africa. Despite an African Union convention on protection and assistance to internally displaced persons, which came into effect in 2012, very few countries in Africa have enacted comprehensive policies to address the role these factors play in displacement and to reverse the cycle of poverty that can result. This project selected two universities in East Africa to establish interdisciplinary research chairs on forced displacement. The Tanzania research chair will focus on conflict and civil war, climate change, disasters, conservation efforts and large-scale development projects. The research chair in Ethiopia will focus on legal frameworks, governance and security; displacement economies and livelihoods; education; health and psychosocial support; and diversity and inclusion. Both research chairs will focus on how national systems and societies in…

Published by

International Development Research Centre · Other public sector

Countries

Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda

Sectors

Facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility

Focus

Gender equality · Also contributesEnvironment · Also contributesClimate mitigation · Also contributesClimate adaptation · Also contributes

Published by International Development Research Centre to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), last updated 1 Sept 2026 and imported automatically. IATI identifier: XM-DAC-301-2-109817-002.

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