Urban crises and forced displacement

Urban areas are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters, but they are also historically a safe haven for those fleeing conflict and violence.

Our work investigates the impacts of humanitarian crises and large-scale forced displacement on urban areas, including a focus on the experiences of refugees and internally displaced people in towns and cities. We engage with humanitarian actors, civil society and local governments to understand how they can better work with each other and affected communities to respond more effectively to crises.

This research and policy engagement on humanitarian interventions in towns and cities builds on the long-standing work of the Human Settlements research group on urban poverty, governance, risk and resilience. It takes our understanding of urban systems to new audiences involved in humanitarian policymaking and in responding to disasters and displacement crises.

This is important as many of the tools and approaches familiar to humanitarians were developed in remote border regions and rural areas, and may not work well in complex urban environments.

• Find out more about our urban crises and forced displacement programme of work.

Contact: Lucy Earle (lucy.earle@iied.org), principal researcher, Human Settlements

Find out more about IIED's Human Settlements research group.