The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has commissioned Prof. Vincent Chetail of the Graduate Institute’s Global Migration Centre to conduct research into the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the role of humanitarian and development actors in meeting those needs.

Today, there are more than 40 million IDPs worldwide, the highest figure ever recorded, and twice the number of refugees in the world. Despite this, international attention on IDPs has declined, leaving them neglected by donors, the media as well as national and international stakeholders.

Many IDPs are caught in a protracted situation for years or even decades, making them particularly vulnerable: they face socio-economic marginalisation and remain dependent on humanitarian assistance with little prospect of rebuilding their lives.

Against this background, Prof Chetail and research collaborator Justine Boillat will be studying the specific needs of IDPs in protracted situations, aiming to produce a set of best practices for humanitarian and development actors.

More details are available on the Global Migration Centre website.