What is
internal displacement
?
According to iDMC, internal displacement is the "forced movement of people within the country they live in". Triggers of this include human conflict and violence, natural disasters, and more recently climate change. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) refers to individuals or groups of individuals who involuntarily flee their place of residence to escape the dangers they face at home.
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At Daruma, we specifically focus on addressing internal displacement in the context of those affected by natural disasters. These are people whose home has been completely destroyed, or damaged to the extent where it threatens their safety and lives. Some will also flee from the fear that their home will not withstand the entirety of the disaster.
What can
displaced people
face?
For those who are able to take refuge in an evacuation centre, their main challenge
comes from living in overcrowded spaces with strangers. These uncomfortable and unfamiliar conditions can lead to :
POST-TRAUMA STRESS
POST-TRAUMA STRESS
Conventional evacuation
centres offer no privacy or
spaces where occupants can feel safe from strangers. A constant worry of valuables being stolen as well
as the lack of personal living
space all contribute to the
inability to reduce
stress levels.
RAPID DISEASE SPREAD
RAPID DISEASE SPREAD
The more people there are
in a confined space, the faster diseases and infections will spread. During the Kumamoto Earthquake
in 2016, unhygienic evacuation
centres caused a death toll
4 times larger than that of
the actual earthquake.
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
With so many people refuging
together, centres are constantly
noisy & restless. Living with babies & children in overcrowded spaces adds further disturbance. Ongoing
fear of something happening
during the night may also
prevent evacuees from
sleeping well.
SEXUAL
VIOLENCE
SEXUAL VIOLENCE
In evacuation centres, law
enforcement does not protect the vulnerable. With nowhere to hide and
an already troubled mind, evacuees are at high risk to rape and sexual assault. During Hurricane Katrina, 100+ sexual violence cases were reported,
of which 93.2% were women
& girls. This excludes
unreported cases.
But not all who are displaced will end up in evacuation centres. Some either by consequence or by choice will seek refuge in other forms of shelter. These include tents in makeshift settlements, personal vehicles, or in their damaged homes. Those who refuge in these shelters typically sacrifice better protection from the weather and access to resources and information for privacy and personal space.
How will daruma
help
?
Internal displacement is heavily linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By improving the wellbeing of IDPs, we can help achieve these larger goals. Click the SDG goals below to learn more:
