Forcibly displaced people in West and Central Africa

Overall objectives

Enquête Harmonisée sur le Conditions de Vie des Ménages (EHCVM) surveys are ideal for filling gaps in data of forcibly displaced people, particularly as they are comparable across countries. Through the provision of technical assistance, this activity intends to produce high quality data and comparable consumption aggregates and poverty estimates on forcibly displaced populations

Activity description

Working with the EHCVM team and National Statistical Offices in each country, this activity will enable the following:

1. Revision of the regional harmonized questionnaires to meet EGRISS standards.
2. Updating enumerator manuals and revising data entry programs.
3. Technical assistance to ensure a representative sample of forcibly displaced people is designed for each of the countries.
4. Field testing, particularly in camps, to finalize country versions of questionnaires.
5. Quality control of data collection through remote, real-time, high-frequency checks.

Engagement with partners

This activity will be co-led between the WB and UNHCR and data collection will be led (and funded) by the NSOs in each country. 

Background and Context

In 2024, the number of forcibly displaced and stateless people is expected to rise to 14.3 million in the West and Central Africa region, of which 8.2 million will be internally displaced persons. Political instability, new and protracted conflicts and insecurity remain the main causes of displacement. Increased competition over resources due to the effects of climate change, poverty and inflation are also compounding humanitarian needs.   

At least five different crises can be distinguished in the region:  

• The Sudan situation, which has led to at least 1.1 million Sudanese refugees in the CAR and Chad.   

• The Sahel situation, with at least about 3.1 million internally displaced persons and over 500,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, with increasing numbers spilling into Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin.  

• The North-West Nigeria situation where 127,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Nigeria have crossed the border into Niger.   

• The Lake Chad Basin situation. Some 3.6 million people have been displaced, including 3.1 million internally displaced persons and over 284,000 refugees and asylum-seekers affecting Cameroon, Chad, Niger and northern Nigeria.  

• The Central African Republic situation: Over half a million people are internally displaced in the Central African Republic, and nearly 751,000 Central Africans have sought asylum in neighboring countries.  

This activity expands the JDC’s earlier investment in statistical inclusion in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad and Mali.