Situations Of Displacement Research Articles

Parenting and mental health in protracted refugee situations: A systematic review

BackgroundRefugees' parenting behaviour is profoundly influenced by their mental health, which is, in turn, influenced by their situation of displacement. Our research presents the first systematic review on parenting and mental health in protracted refugee situations, where 78% of all refugees reside. MethodsWe pre-registered our protocol and screened documents in 22 languages from 10 electronic databases, reports by 16 international humanitarian organisations and region-specific content from the top 100 websites for each of the 72 countries that ‘host’ protracted refugees. Our criteria were empirical papers reporting parenting and parental mental health data on refugees who are in a protracted refugee situation. Studies including only internally displaced or stateless persons were excluded. ResultsA total of 18,125 documents were screened and 30 studies were included. We identified a universal pathway linking macro-level stressors in protracted refugee situations, such as movement restrictions and documentation issues, to symptoms of depression and anxiety, which, in turn, led to negative parenting practices. Additionally, culture-specific pathways were observed in the way parental mental health and parenting were expressed. Situational (e.g., overcrowding) and relational factors (e.g., spousal dynamics) modulated both of these pathways. Biases in the research included the over-representation of specific protracted refugee situations, overreliance on self-reported data, and a heavy focus on mothers while neglecting fathers and other caregivers. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the directionality and causality between specific macro-level stressors in a given protracted refugee situation and parental mental health and practices. Refugees were rarely consulted or involved in the design of research concerning their parenting and parental mental health. ConclusionIn recognising the existing links between protracted refugee situations, parental mental health, and parenting, our systematic review calls for a shift in thinking: from focusing solely on the micro aspects that affect ‘refugee parenting’ to understanding and tackling the broader macro-level stressors that drive them. We urge larger and long-term research efforts that consider diverse protracted refugee situations, greater investment in science communication and diplomacy with governments, and stronger implementation of durable solutions by states to alleviate the roots of refugee parents' distress and negative parenting practices.

Investigating the Consequence s of Energy Transitions in Protracted Displacement Settings: Solid Fuel Dependency and IDPs’ Readiness

Abstract Looking beyond cooking energy provision in humanitarian response, interventions define the course of the internally displaced people’s (IDPs) livelihood. Energy transition in displacement settings often puts the bar high as the outputs are aimed to provide full use of low emission, healthy, clean cooking energy sources. By gathering data from protracted temporary settlements inhabited since 2012 by those affected by the Mount Sinabung eruption in Karo Regency, Indonesia, the purpose of this study is to look into how Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are switching to greener energy sources for cooking. A framework for determining energy choice at the household size was employed to depict the overview of energy use in cooking, taking into account the effects of the transition. The case of Sinabung displacement offered a perspective of the prolonged IDPs on humanitarian energy interventions and the national ecosystem toward clean energy behaviour. Even though Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) penetration is subsidized, a protracted displacement situation in Sinabung still reveals solid fuel dependencies. The LPG subsidy program, which was poorly planned, and the lack of readiness of IDPs to purchase and use new alternative cooking energy were the biggest obstacles to the overall transition process and caused the fuel stacking phenomenon to persist.

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE PSHEKHA-ADLER FAULT ZONE OF THE GREATER CAUCASUS ACCORDING TO STRUCTURAL STUDIES

The study of minor faults carried out in the valley of the Belaya River made it possible to establish the tectodynamic conditions for the formation of the Pshekha-Adler fault zone of the Greater Caucasus. In this zone, the presence of strike-slip displacements of different scales and the predominance of the situation of horizontal displacement are shown. Using the method of cataclastic analysis, differences in the parameters of the stress-and-strain state in different tectonic complexes and structures of the region have been established. The revealed structural pattern of meridional and northeastern compression determine the regional dextral strike-slip fault and extensional fault nature of the meridional Pshekha-Adler fault zone with the development of sinistral strike-slip faults and extensional faults of the northeastern strike inside the deformation zone.

Marital quality in a context of displacement: the role of union formation characteristics among Syrian refugee and Jordanian youth

Marital quality is an important determinant of well-being and is related to how unions are formed. Both processes of union formation and marital relationships may be influenced by stressful conditions, including insecurity and displacement. We leverage unique representative data on young Syrian refugees in Jordan to learn more about the interplay between displacement, union formation characteristics and marital quality. Through comparisons with youth from the Jordanian host population, we assess the role of key contextual predictors of marital quality, such as consanguinity and young people’s role in choosing their spouse, with a focus on gender differences. We measure marital quality with six separate items capturing aspects of equality, respect and interpersonal communication and a unidimensional scale identified through exploratory factor analysis. Results show that consanguinity, marital duration and number of children are generally unrelated to marital quality in both populations. In contrast, involvement in spouse choice emerges as the strongest predictor, with both Syrians and Jordanians in family-arranged unions experiencing lower-quality marriages. Among Syrians, women suffer more from lower marital quality, especially when arranged unions happen at a young age, and marriages formed after displacement to Jordan appear more fragile. The study is one of the first to explore predictors of marital quality in a non-Western, conflict-affected population. The findings emphasise the importance of the demographic study of family dynamics in situations of insecurity and displacement moving beyond a narrow focus on marriage timing to cover a wider range of marriage outcomes related to family well-being.

Forced Displacement Situation Awareness with Large Language Models: Ukrainian Refugees in Poland Case Study

We evaluated the utility of the large language model (LLM) ChatGPT to develop situation awareness related to the forced displacement of Ukrainian refugees into Poland. Utilizing text messages derived from the Help for Ukrainians in Poland Telegram message group, we used ChatGPT to translate messages in multiple languages into English and identify message topics and themes. Topics and themes from beginning of the war in Ukraine in 2022 were analyzed and visualized using K-means clustering and word clouds. The language identification and translation capabilities of the LLM were evaluated by two human evaluators and measured using Kappa (0.86) and BLUE scores (0.46) with the LLM performing effectively. We conclude that the ability of LLM using carefully developed language prompts for large data volume analysis with no need for manual human analysis shows promise for humanitarian analytics focused on rapidly identifying potential key trends, needs, and locations of displaced people.

Looking for Safe Haven in a City Torn Apart by War: Narratives of agency from internally displaced persons in the southern Philippines

In this paper, I interrogate the dominant representation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in humanitarian discourse as helpless victims in need of rescue. Based on the stories of IDP women and gender diverse individuals in the Philippines affected by the Zamboanga City siege in 2013, I illustrate how they exercised agency to shape their trajectories of displacement. The capacity of Filipino IDPs to contend with their displacement is shaped by their power as bakwit (evacuees), and by their class and ethnoreligious identities. While Christian Filipino IDPs had access to material, financial, and social resources, allowing them to engage in temporary migration after displacement, Muslim Filipino IDPs with limited access to these same resources found themselves in unwanted mobility and prolonged situations of displacement. Yet, Muslim Filipino IDPs do not lack agency, as they continue to actively and consciously forge new strategies to regain a sense of home in extended exile. Ultimately, while identifying bakwit power as a useful conceptual tool to make legible how IDPs exercised control at different stages of their displacement, embracing such a framework should not negate the long history of political violence in the region that continues to keep some people on the move.

Lessons learned from Jordan's response to the Syria refugee crisis.

The number of refugees across the world has jumped from 15.7 million to 34.6 million in the past 10years, and their forced displacement situation remain for an average period of 20years. To ensure sustainable benefits, health system strengthening through development cooperation should be a priority in parallel to humanitarian aid early on in refugee crises.

Economic Integration between Refugee Settlements and Host Communities

With 1.5 million refugees and a refugee policy that promotes long-term settlement and self-sufficiency, understanding the impact of refugees on host communities in Uganda is a critical issue. Of particular concern – not only in Uganda, but all refugee-hosting countries – is the economic impact of refugees; while refugees attract aid money into the local economy, the mass distribution of in-kind goods can drive local prices and wages down. Moreover, little is known about the role of economic integration between refugees and hosts, especially in situations of protracted displacement. Using a mixed methods approach with panel survey data and semi-structured interviews, we show significant integration between refugees and hosts that is widely perceived as positive. Results indicate that refugees provide goods and services at lower costs to hosts and often of higher quality than found elsewhere. Yet, these interactions, especially through markets, create competition and may lower prices and wages since proximity to refugees is associated with lower host labor participation and earnings from crop production. The net welfare effect for hosts of being close to refugees are found to be ambiguous.

Measuring learning during crises: Developing and validating the Holistic Assessment of Learning and Development Outcomes (HALDO)

Sample-based learning assessments are increasingly common in low- and middle-income countries but have yet to affect education programming in situations of conflict and displacement. Without identifying what children already know in the immediate aftermath of forced displacement, education practitioners are often unable to address the gaps and challenges learners face. The Holistic Assessment of Learning and Development Outcomes (HALDO) is a new tool that aims to identify children's learning needs in these situations. This article examines the tool's internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity in three locations and provides evidence of its effectiveness. The study found strong inter-rater reliability in two contexts, internal consistency in all contexts, and evidence of construct validity in all latent constructs in HALDO, except for literacy in Lebanon.

The interplay among conflict, water scarcity, and cholera in Northern Nigeria

AbstractCholera is a recurring issue in Nigeria, with outbreaks predominantly affecting the Northern states. In 2021, Nigeria experienced its most significant cholera epidemic in a decade, resulting in thousands of fatalities and cases. The spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases in Nigeria is linked to various factors such as flooding, conflict, and water scarcity. The country's poor drinking water quality and lack of equitable access to clean water exacerbate the problem, particularly in the conflict‐affected areas of the North. This paper discusses the interaction of conflict‐related displacement, water shortages, and cholera transmission in Northern Nigeria and provides insights into how these factors impact water resources and public health. This information can inform initiatives and policies to reduce the impact of conflict on water resources and enhance access to clean water in impacted areas. The article suggests that the primary challenges in eliminating cholera in the region include a lack of information due to severe security situations, bureaucratic requirements for delivering essential supplies, and a chronic shortage of water. A successful response to cholera in conflict and displacement situations also requires community engagement and the security and safety of humanitarian personnel. Long‐term solutions to the uprisings in the region are necessary to put an end to the issues related to banditry and insurgency.

Hepatitis C Virus in people with experience of injection drug use following their displacement to Southern Ukraine before 2020

BackgroundDue to practical challenges associated with genetic sequencing in low-resource environments, the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in forcibly displaced people is understudied. We examined the use of field applicable HCV sequencing methods and phylogenetic analysis to determine HCV transmission dynamics in internally displaced people who inject drugs (IDPWID) in Ukraine.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we used modified respondent-driven sampling to recruit IDPWID who were displaced to Odesa, Ukraine, before 2020. We generated partial and near full length genome (NFLG) HCV sequences using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) MinION in a simulated field environment. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods were used to establish phylodynamic relationships.ResultsBetween June and September 2020, we collected epidemiological data and whole blood samples from 164 IDPWID (PNAS Nexus.2023;2(3):pgad008). Rapid testing (Wondfo® One Step HCV; Wondfo® One Step HIV1/2) identified an anti-HCV seroprevalence of 67.7%, and 31.1% of participants tested positive for both anti-HCV and HIV. We generated 57 partial or NFLG HCV sequences and identified eight transmission clusters, of which at least two originated within a year and a half post-displacement.ConclusionsLocally generated genomic data and phylogenetic analysis in rapidly changing low-resource environments, such as those faced by forcibly displaced people, can help inform effective public health strategies. For example, evidence of HCV transmission clusters originating soon after displacement highlights the importance of implementing urgent preventive interventions in ongoing situations of forced displacement.

Disentangling Forced Migration Governance: Actors and Drivers Along the Displacement Continuum

In this paper, we study the question of who and what drives forced migration governance in origin, host, and transit states, drawing on empirical material from the contemporary Syrian and Libyan, and the historical Algerian displacement situations. These three cases are examples for different forced migration governance approaches, ranging from open-supportive (Algeria), to restrictive-selective (Syria) and laissez-faire (Libya). We identify three key drivers of forced migration governance to explain variation in governance outcome: domestic, geopolitical, and international-normative drivers. We understand forced migration governance as a state-making strategy for different state and non-state actors in origin, transit, and host countries. We argue that while forced migration governance is negotiated around humanitarian principles in which international organizations and civil society play a crucial role, the international-normative driver remains strongly bound to domestic and geopolitical logics. Political and economic interests are key factors of forced migration governance in host countries, especially if they align with political interests and state-making strategies of state and non-state actors in origin countries.

Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria: Durable Solution, Assessment and Reviews

The protracted internal displacement crisis in Nigeria has led to significant challenges for the affected population and has strained the country's resources and infrastructure. This paper focuses on the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, exploring the concept of durable solutions, the importance of comprehensive assessments, and the necessity of regular reviews in addressing their plight. The concept of durable solutions forms the cornerstone of addressing displacement crises, aiming to provide sustainable outcomes for IDPs. This study examines the three recognized durable solutions: voluntary return, local integration, and resettlement, and analyzes their applicability in the Nigerian context. It emphasizes the need for a holistic approach that considers socio-economic factors, security conditions, and the protection of IDPs' rights. Comprehensive assessments play a vital role in understanding the needs and vulnerabilities of IDPs, facilitating informed decision-making and resource allocation. This study highlights the importance of conducting thorough assessments, including demographic data, living conditions, access to basic services, and psychosocial support. It emphasizes the role of government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and research institutions in undertaking these assessments to guide effective interventions. Regular reviews of displacement situations are crucial to monitor progress, identify gaps, and adapt strategies accordingly. This study emphasizes the significance of periodic evaluations of policies, programs, and interventions aimed at addressing internal displacement in Nigeria. It underscores the importance of stakeholder involvement, including IDPs themselves, in these review processes to ensure their perspectives are considered and their voices heard. Furthermore, the work acknowledges the challenges inherent in addressing the plight of IDPs in Nigeria, including limited resources, security concerns, and the complexity of the underlying causes of displacement. It emphasizes the need for a coordinated and multi-stakeholder approach, involving the government, humanitarian actors, civil society, and the international community, to achieve durable solutions for IDPs.

Active tuberculosis screening among the displaced population fleeing Ukraine, France, February to October 2022.

Persons fleeing Ukraine since February 2022 have potentially higher risk of tuberculosis (TB) vs all European Union countries. Interest of active TB screening among this population is debated and not widely adopted. In this screening intervention by a network of TB centres in France, the number needed to screen (NNS) was 862 to find one case. This experience shows that this strategy may be relevant for TB control in situations of massive displacement, similar to that following the Russian invasion.

Coseismic and post-seismic characteristics of the 2021 Ganaveh earthquake along the Zagros foredeep fault based on InSAR data

SUMMARY The Ganaveh earthquake on 2021 April 18 (Mw 5.8) occurred in the southwest of the Dezful embayment of the Zagros Mountain belt, Iran, as a mainly compressive event. The InSAR coseismic displacement maps reveal a maximum of 17 cm of surface displacement in the satellite line of sight direction. InSAR inversion indicates a low-angle NE-dipping causative fault plane with a maximum slip of 95 cm at ∼6 km depth. It highlights the occurrence of the Ganaveh earthquake within the competent layers of the Zagros sedimentary cover, beneath the Gachsaran formation. A slight sinistral slip component (2.9 cm) is retrieved which is compatible with the USGS focal mechanism. Time-series analysis of SAR images after the main shock until the end of 2021 indicates a maximum of 7 cm of post-seismic surface displacement with a similar strike and pattern as the coseismic phase. This similarity and the distribution of aftershocks suggest an afterslip mechanism for the post-seismic phase. The inversion of post-seismic cumulative displacement evaluates a maximum of 30 cm slip at a depth of ∼5 km along the coseismic causative fault. A regional compressional stress regime (N041°E for the direction of the σ1 stress axis) is constrained by using the focal mechanisms of 39 earthquakes occurring between 1968 and 2021, including the Ganaveh main shock and its five larger aftershocks. Applying this direction of compression on the Ganaveh fault plane also results in a minor sinistral movement, consistent with the geodetic results. The relocated main shock and aftershocks as well as our InSAR coseismic displacement situations on the hanging wall of the Zagros Foredeep fault highlight it as the causative fault of the Ganaveh earthquake. To fit the geometry of the Ganaveh rupture plane with the Zagros Foredeep fault, we modelled a listric fault plane and its slip distribution using the available geological data. The retrieved slip variation on the listric plane is in close agreement with the slip pattern on the modelled planar geometry. The low dip angle of the rupture plane combined with a listric geometry highlights the thin-skin characteristics of the Zagros Foredeep fault as the causative fault of the Ganaveh earthquake. The occurrence of this moderate magnitude earthquake on the Zagros Foredeep fault underlines its role as the western structural boundary for the recurrence of Mb > 5 events in the Dezful embayment.

Durable Displacement and the Protracted Search for Solutions: Promising Programs and Strategies

In March 2022, the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) released a request for papers (RFP) for a special issue of its Journal on Migration and Human Security (JMHS), devoted to identifying solutions to situations of protracted displacement. The co-editors selected 10 papers for this special issue by authors from a dozen countries, including two refugees. The papers cover several large populations in protracted displacement, as well as other less-publicized groups. The former include: Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh; Internally displaced persons (IDPs) living on the outskirts of Baku, Azerbaijan; Afghans in Pakistan since the 1970s; Syrians in Turkey since 2011; Syrian, Iraqi, Yemeni, Sudanese, Somali, and Iranian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon; IDPs and Venezuelan migrants in Colombia; Somali refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya; Central Americans seeking protection in Mexico and the United States; and IDPs in Northern Mexico who have been displaced and stranded due to violence, deportation, and US and Mexican asylum policies. This paper introduces and integrates the themes and recommendations from this special issue. Section 1 provides a short overview of the scope, growth, and consequences of protracted displacement. Section 2 situates this phenomenon in a legal context and examines traditional and complementary solutions to displacement. Section 3 outlines topline findings, recommendations, and cross-cutting themes from the special issue. Section 4 offers conclusions and final reflections.

Concurrent Displacements: Return, Waiting for Asylum, and Internal Displacement in Northern Mexico

This paper explores the ways in which contemporary mobility dynamics in Mexico have changed over the last decade, leading to protracted displacement. It focuses on three populations: (1) the internally displaced due to violence; (2) Mexican nationals returning from the United States, both voluntarily and due to deportation; and (3) populations seeking asylum in Mexico and the United States. These three populations are not usually analyzed together and do not squarely fall under the traditional legal definitions. The paper outlines ways that situations of protracted displacement and insecurity present challenges in four interconnected arenas of life: housing, legal status, employment, and emotional well-being. For governments and local communities, protracted displacement requires immediate humanitarian responses and the development and implementation of public policies focused on integration. The paper concludes with a set of policy recommendations based on its findings.

Community-Based Research in Fragile Contexts: Reflections From Rohingya Refugee Camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

This commentary examines community-based research in fragile settings based on the authors’ experience working with Rohingya and host community researchers in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This iteration of a community-based approach to research focuses on putting community researchers at the center and emphasizes their involvement at each stage of the research process – from design to implementation to analysis – alongside external researchers. Community researchers contribute their expertise to increase understanding of nuances that might otherwise be lost to external researchers. Integral to this approach is building and nurturing the trust of researchers, respondents and community members through innovative means such as an informal “trust network.” Also central to the community-based approach, especially in fragile 1 settings, is a sustained emphasis on community researchers’ learning and skills-building. The commentary article describes methods developed by the Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University (CPJ), implemented with Rohingya refugees and host community researchers in Cox’s Bazar. The article suggests: Putting community members at the heart of learning and research approaches helps to amplify marginalized voices and emphasize their needs and choices. The political and economic atmosphere of a refugee setting can change rapidly. In such circumstances, community-based research can be vital to policymakers that seek to understand emerging concerns and issues. Community-based experiential education and research approaches hold potential to promote grassroots leadership among refugee youth in situations of protracted displacement. Strengthening the capacities of community researchers is crucial to this approach. Community researchers often lack language skills, especially writing and reading, and translating from local dialects to English or any other preferred language. The acquisition of research skills can also pave a durable and critical pathway toward meaningful youth engagement. Trust and familiarity between refugee interlocutors and researchers require long-term engagement. Creating a culture of mutual respect and dignity is of utmost importance. The community expects researchers to respect their religious beliefs and cultural values. The two-way exchange between community researchers and respondents enhances the learning process and can help discover areas for further inquiry.

Foreigners in Their Own Home: De Facto Displacement and Negative Emplacement in the Borderlands of Abkhazia

Abstract This article explores de facto displacement and negative emplacement dynamics in the borderlands of the de facto state of Abkhazia. The uncertain status of de facto states creates a vulnerable, disenfranchised and rearranged post-conflict environment for ethnic minorities that are deemed unwanted remnants of the conflict. I make two arguments: First, de facto displacement is a situation of displacement where the displaced do not physically move away but where the landscape around them together with the sociopolitical situation significantly changes almost overnight. Second, that this displacement comes with negative emplacement in which a person and/or group is negatively set in place in a physical and social sense within the newly created reality of the de facto state.

The impact of neglected tropical diseases on women and girl refugees: A call for increased awareness and strategic intervention

As the number of forcibly displaced women and girls increases, it becomes ever important to recognize the negative health impacts of being displaced. Women and girl refugees are disproportionately affected by sexual and gender-based violence and mental health concerns. In addition to these health concerns in women, crowding and lack of clean water in refugee camps leads to the spread of infectious diseases in general. Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are infectious diseases of poverty found in tropical areas, and longstanding infections lead to significant morbidity. Particularly for women, these diseases can impact fertility, chronic disease in pregnancy, and social stigma. Despite being a high-risk group, there are minimal data on the impact of NTDs on the health of Women and girl refugees. Diseases such as schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminth infections, strongyloidiasis, and leishmaniasis have all been shown to affect Women and girl refugees, but the majority of these data describe NTDs in this population only after resettlement. Access to medical care with providers that are knowledgeable about NTDs while in situations of displacement as well as after third-country resettlement is crucial to their timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent longstanding sequalae. More studies in this at-risk population are needed to understand the extent of this issue and begin to work towards lasting, equitable healthcare.