By Wegayehu Muluneh
A new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reveals a staggering number of internally displaced people around the world.
By the end of 2023, an unprecedented 75.9 million individuals were living in internal displacement, with nearly 47 million forced to flee their homes that same year due to conflict or disaster.
"This report is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address internal displacement," said International Organization for Migration (IOM) Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels.
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Number of internally displaced people (IDPs) has grown 50% in last five years
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Conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Palestine accounted for nearly two-thirds of new conflict movements in 2023
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3.4 million new movements in the Gaza Strip in the last quarter of 2023, leaving 1.7 million internally displaced by the end of the year
Conflicts and violence caused 20.5 million displacements, while disasters like cyclones and earthquakes displaced 26.4 million people. The report highlights the increasing threat of climate change, with disasters expected to displace even more people in the coming years.
The situation in East Africa is particularly dire, where millions have been affected by consecutive droughts and devastating floods. Furthermore, the conflict in Sudan has also exacerbates the problem where close to 11 Million people were forced to live in horrific situation.
The combination of manmade and nature related displacements such as conflicts and climate shocks has increased the risk of water-borne diseases, with nearly 29,000 cholera cases reported across the region since 2022.