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BRIEF March 21, 2022

Forced Displacement and Social Cohesion

Forcibly displaced people, in green silhouette, walking

By mid-2021, an estimated 84 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced, including over 20 million refugees. Today, families and communities are being uprooted everywhere¡ªfrom Yemen, to Ethiopia, to Venezuela, and now most recently, in Ukraine.

The growing number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is a global crisis that can exacerbate inequalities and conflict, especially when economic conditions are difficult. ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº is committed to working with the global community to support populations in overcoming the challenges stemming from forced displacement.

Read the recently released .


  • In partnership with UNHCR and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the World Bank is leading a series of 26 working papers, broadly themed on Forced Displacement and Social Cohesion. The Bank commissioned these papers from academics with expertise in the field of forced displacement. These papers explore the linkages between forced displacement, inequalities, access to services, policies, and social cohesion between forcibly displaced persons and their host communities in a variety of low, middle, and high-income countries across Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and Europe. This series of papers is part of a broader initiative on Building Evidence on Forced Displacement.

    Overall, the findings demonstrate that displacement can exacerbate inequalities and the potential for conflict, especially in areas that have limited access to services and few economic opportunities. However, inclusive policies and development investments for both those who have been forcibly displaced and host communities can mitigate the negative effects of displacement effectively and can foster social cohesion. Several of the studies show that progressive policies that accord refugees and IDPs the right to work,  freedom of movement, access to social services, as well as property, can promote social and economic integration without causing a backlash.

    1. The role of baseline conditions in host communities

    These papers assert that the social, economic, and political landscape of host communities matters deeply for how the presence of displaced populations impacts social cohesion.

     

    2. Socioeconomic conditions, attitudes, and behaviors of host communities

    These studies consider how displacement affects social cohesion by impacting social and economic outcomes in host communities, including the level of public goods and services, labor markets, and attitudes and perceptions.

     

    3. Contributions of refugees on socio-economic conditions

    The arrival of displaced populations can influence behavior (e.g., job search, interpersonal engagement, conflict) and socioeconomic conditions (e.g., economic inequality, wealth) in ways that affect social cohesion.

     

    4. Policy Interventions that Affect Social Cohesion in Displacement Contexts

    These papers analyze specific policy interventions that might facilitate the integration of refugees and IDPs into host communities.

     

    5. Socioeconomic conditions, attitudes, and behaviors of the displaced

    These studies focus on how displacement affects social cohesion outcomes among refugees and IDPs by shaping the lives of the displaced, including their socioeconomic status, educational outcomes, civic engagement, and psychological experience. 

    Updated branding image: GDFD
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    Social Cohesion and Forced Displacement: A Synthesis of New Research

     | JAN 18, 2023

    This event launched based on a joint series of 26 working papers on forced displacement and social cohesion. The report offers actionable insights for policymakers and development practitioners on mitigating the negative effects of displacement and effectively promoting social cohesion.

    Forced Displacement and Social Cohesion: New Evidence from Europe

    VIEW THE EVENT PAGE | DEC 27, 2022

    This event featured findings from three studies looking at social cohesion outcomes in four European countries hosting forcibly displaced people (Switzerland, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia).

    This event presentations focused on the following papers respectively:

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    Understanding Social Cohesion: Internally Displaced People and Their Hosts

    VIEW THE EVENT PAGE | OCT 27, 2022

    This event brought into sharp view the important needs of IDPs and their hosts, by drawing on newly published papers focused on Colombia, Mali and Nigeria. These papers provide insights on long-term welfare impacts on IDPs; inequality, poverty, and conflict outcomes in IDP and non-IDP-hosting communities.

    This event presentations focused on the following papers respectively:

     

    ECA Talk on Forced Displacement

    VIEW THE RECORDING | JUN 23, 2022 

    The current war in Ukraine has so far generated more than 5 million refugees and more than 7 million internally displaced people. ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº, together with UNHCR and FCDO, is leading a series of studies that expand our understanding of how policies and investments can help prevent conflict and promote social and economic integration of refugees and displaced persons. This ECA Talk featured presentations by the authors of four of these studies focusing on Europe and Central Asia (ECA) countries.

    This event presentations focused on the following papers respectively:


    MULTIMEDIA

    Woman refugee with her kids
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    VIDEO Jun 07, 2022

    Inclusive Policies for Migrants and Refugees

    On June 7th, 2022, the World Bank and partners launched three more papers in our series on Forced Displacement and Social Cohesion that deal with the long-term impacts of inclusive refugee policies on social cohesion.

    The event featured insights from Greece, Colombia, and elsewhere: 
     

    MULTIMEDIA

    Refugees in a camp
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    VIDEO Mar 31, 2022

    The Social and Economic Benefits of Refugee Arrivals

    On March 31st, 2022, the World Bank, UNHCR, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) launched three papers that emphasized how the arrival of refugees can bring social and economic benefits to host communities.

    The event including presentations on:




MULTIMEDIA

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VIDEO Apr 15, 2023

Forced Displacement: Inclusive Policies for Social Cohesion

Paula Rossiasco, Senior Social Development Specialist, unpacks the data on forced displacement and social cohesion in Latin America.