1.2.3 Forced Migration and Internal Displacement Notes

Displacement is a Complex Issue With Far-Reaching Causes and Consequences

1. Displacement is therefore closely linked to the concept of forced migration.
2. This phenom affects millions of people worldwide and has far-reaching social, economic, and environmental consequences.

Push Factors: Why People Are Forced to Leave

1. Environmental Causes

1. Drought and Desertification: Drought leads to water scarcity, crop failures, and food insecurity, making it impossible for communities to sustain their livelihoods.
   1. Desertification degrades arable land, reducing its productivity and forcing agricultural communities to migrate.
2. Flooding and Rising Sea Levels: Climate change exacerbates flooding and sea-level rise, threatening low-lying areas.
   1. Pacific island nations like Kiribati face long-term displacement due to rising seas.
3. Geophysical Disasters: Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis destroy homes and infrastructure, forcing people to flee.
4. Wildfires: Increasingly common and severe wildfires displace thousands annually.

2. Political Causes

1. War and Conflict: Armed conflicts destroy homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, creating unsafe living conditions.
   1. Fear of violence and persecution forces individuals and families to flee.
2. Persecution and Instability: Ethnic, religious, or political persecution drives people to seek safety elsewhere.
   1. Political instability often results in systemic violence or collapse of governance, making it unsafe to remain.

3. Socio-Economic Causes: Poverty and Food Insecurity

1. Economic instability and a lack of basic resources force many to migrate.
   1. Poverty: Extreme poverty in rural areas limits access to education, healthcare, and stable livelihoods, pushing families to migrate.
   2. Food Insecurity: Crop failures, market disruptions, and high food prices force people to move in search of sustenance.

Different Types of Forced Migration Have Unique Causes

1. Conflict Creates Millions of Displaced People: Armed conflict, civil war, violence, and persecution force people to flee their homes.
2. Development Projects Lead to Displacement: Infrastructure projects like dams, highways, and urban expansion often force communities to relocate.
3. Natural and Human-Induced Disasters Disrupt Lives:
   1. Natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and rising sea levels displace populations globally.
   2. Human-made disasters, such as chemical spills or radiation leaks, also lead to forced migration

Different Categories of Forced Migrants Reflect the Nature of Displacement

1. Refugees Flee Persecution Across Border

1. Refugees escape their home countries due to well-founded fears.
2. These include war or conflict-related violence as well as persecution based on race, religion, nationality, or political opinion.

2. Asylum Seekers Seek International Protection

1. Asylum seekers leave their countries in search of protection but await official refugee status determination.
2. For instance, Central American migrants seeking asylum in the U.S.

3. IDPs Remain Within Their Countries

1. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are forced to flee due to conflict, disasters, or development projects but do not cross international borders.
2. Consider flooding in Pakistan that has displaced millions within the country.

Note

Number of forcibly displaced people has been increasing sharply since 2012.

• Globally there are significantly more IDPs (~72 million) than refugees (44 million).
• 69% of of refugees and other people in need of international protection live in countries neighboring their countries of origin.
• 71% of the world’s refugees and other people in need of international protection are hosted in LICs and MICs.

Impacts of Displacement

1. Social Consequences

1. Integration Challenges
   1. Displaced people often face barriers to integration due to:
      1. Language barriers: Inability to communicate in the host community’s language.
      2. Cultural differences: Disparate customs and traditions that create misunderstandings.
      3. Discrimination: Social exclusion and prejudice from host populations.
2. Overcrowding in Host Areas
   1. Large influxes of displaced people can overwhelm resources in host communities.
   2. Refugee camps and urban slums often face severe overcrowding, leading to poor living conditions.
3. Cultural Tensions
   1. Differences in cultural practices can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts between displaced people and host communities, straining social cohesion.

2. Economic Consequences

1. Pressure on Services
   1. Host communities often struggle to meet the increased demand for healthcare, education, and housing.
   2. Existing systems become overwhelmed, leading to resource shortages and declining service quality.
2. Competition for Jobs
   1. Displaced people often compete with locals for low-skilled employment, sometimes resulting in wage suppression and resentment from local populations.
3. Aid Dependency
   1. Prolonged displacement can create reliance on humanitarian aid, hindering opportunities for self-sufficiency and economic development.

3. Environmental Consequences

1. Depletion of Water Resources and Water Contamination
   1. Areas hosting large number of people forcibly displaced usually lack proper water supply infrastructure leading to shortages in local water reservoirs.
   2. Due to lack of proper sanitation facilities, local water supplies (rivers, lakes, as well as groundwater) can be contaminated with human excrement.
2. Deforestation and Soil Erosion
   1. Refugees hosted in refugee camps use local firewood for cooking causing local deforestation, loss of biodiversity, ans soil erosion.

Case study

Syria: Political Conflict and Displacement

1. Cause: The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has led to widespread violence, destruction of infrastructure, and human rights abuses.
2. Impact:
   1. Over 6.8 million Syrians are internally displaced, and 5.5 million have fled to countries like Turkey, Lebanon, and Germany.
   2. Host countries face economic strain, while refugees often struggle with integration, housing, and access to essential services.