Defined by the United Nations, internally displaced people are “persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes… and who have not crossed an internationally recognised state border.” IDPs remain in their own country, and thus unfortunately do not receive the same access to rights, protections and international assistance as refugees.
On a global scale, the number of IDPs has dramatically increased in recent years, with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre stating there were more than 71.1 million people displaced within their own countries at the end of last year. Issues faced by those seeking asylum are synonymous with problems experienced by IDPs: inadequate shelter, limited access to healthcare, financial insecurity, lack of access to education or employment, but the plight of IDPs remains largely invisible as the international community is not obligated to assist in the same way.
Key Statistics on Internally Displaced People
- Nearly ¾ of all IDPs live in 10 countries: Syria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Colombia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan.
- The largest population of IDPs is found in Syria with 6.9 million displaced people due to over a decade of civil war. Ongoing violence has meant IDPs cannot return home so many live in camps, without access to basic necessities.
- Since Israel’s invasion, Palestine has had a rapid increase of IDPs, with 12,000 IDPs at the end of 2022, and a staggering 1.7million IDPs at the end of 2023, accounting for 83% of the Gaza Strip population.
Australia and Internal Displacement
In Australia, the concept of displacement is often discussed in context of people seeking asylum arriving into the country. But Australian people themselves are also victims of internal displacement.
Most prominently, the European colonisation of Australia forced countless Indigenous people from their homes: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have faced centuries of forced removal from their land. Today, many Indigenous communities still struggle with access to land rights, with ongoing marginalisation, perpetuating cycles of poverty, displacement, and erasure. The continuation of this injustice leaves Indigenous peoples without access to their ancestral lands, undermining their autonomy, identity, and wellbeing.
Furthermore, natural disasters, such as bushfires and floods, cause Australians to be displaced. In the summer of 2019/2020, the bushfire season caused the destruction of homes, with entire communities having to uproot and find safety elsewhere. Similarly, in 2022, Northern Rivers faced two huge floods with areas such as Lismore facing $1 billion of damages. As climate change intensifies, the internal displacement of Australians is equally likely to increase.
How Can We Support Internally Displaced People?
IDPs often live in precarious situations, with limited access to basic services. It is essential to raise awareness about the challenges they face in Australia and beyond. Several organisations across the globe work tirelessly to support displaced populations: charities such as The Red Cross and Oxfam focus on disaster response, whilst the International Organisation for Migration helps with relocation and reintegration. Sustainable solutions are critical and we must advocate for policies that address the root causes of displacement, such as climate change, conflict, and inequality. By supporting these efforts, we can help ensure that internally displaced people receive the protection, dignity, and opportunities they deserve.
*Feature image of a camp taken by Julie Ricard via Unsplash