Unveiling the cost of internal displacement: 2019 report

This report presents estimates of the financial impact of major displacement crises in eight countries: the Central African Republic, Haiti, Libya, the Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen. Of these countries, Haiti, the Philippines and Somalia experienced displacement as a result of natural hazards. Using publicly available data and an original methodology, this report assesses the costs and losses associated with internal displacement’s most direct consequences on health, shelter, education, security and livelihoods.

Although they uncover only a fraction of the economic impacts of internal displacement, these estimates amount to a noticeable share of the countries’ GDP. Multiplying the average impact per IDP per year ($310) to the total number of IDPs recorded across the world - 40 million as of the end of 2017 - would amount to nearly $13 billion. Though more research is needed to analyse more countries and account for more impacts, this report already points to the risk internal displacement represents, not only for security and human rights, but also for national development.