Background
Supported by the United Kingdom, Building the Evidence on Forced Displacement is the first broad research partnership between the World Bank and the UNHCR. Aiming to support evidence-based policymaking for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), the program has allocated US$16 million to research activities over seven years, resulting in more than 130 studies across five continents. As a result, research on forced displacement within the social sciences has transitioned from being a minor sub-area of migration studies to becoming a major field of research. Today, thousands of studies on forced displacement are published in top social science journals. Organizations engaged in assisting forcibly displaced populations, including the World Bank, UNHCR, the World Food Program, the International Center for the Red Cross, and the International Office for Migration, have changed the way they use data and research to inform their operations.
How did these changes come about and what is their impact on the operations of the World Bank, UNHCR, and other organizations, as well as on the lives of refugees and IDPs? Are we better equipped today than we were a decade ago to make decisions on projects and programs aimed at assisting the forcibly displaced? This event will draw upon the expertise and insights gained from the Building the Evidence on Forced Displacement research program to evaluate the achievements thus far and identify areas where research can further contribute to the needs of refugees, IDPs, and their hosts.
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2023
