New Report Highlights Sharp Inequalities in Displacement Impacts Worldwide
International Organization for Migration
10 September 2025
Geneva, 10 September 2025 -- The world's most vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of internal displacement, with their situation worsening over time, according to a new report from the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Global Data Institute (GDI) and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
"This report shows, for the first time, internal displacement worldwide not just as dots on a map, but as human lives shaped by age, education, health, and livelihood. It's about far more than losing a home," IOM Deputy Director for Operations Ugochi Daniels said. "It reminds us that upholding the rights and dignity of displaced people requires urgent action to ensure all their needs are met."
The report provides the first global analysis of the characteristics of communities in areas affected by internal displacement. It reveals that 88 per cent of these communities have a higher proportion of children than the global average, 93 per cent have lower income, 66 per cent have lower levels of education, and 61 per cent have lower life expectancy, highlighting their disproportionate vulnerability.
The data also shows that these vulnerabilities have grown more severe in recent years. In 2018, internal displacements occurred in areas where 28 per cent of the population were children, rising to 40 per cent in 2024. The average annual income of populations in impacted areas fell dramatically, from USD 11,800 in 2018 to USD 1,600 in 2024.
The study also highlights stark differences between communities affected by different displacement causes. For example, populations impacted by drought displacement, most common in Ethiopia and Somalia, are young (18.0 years on average), include a high proportion of children (43 per cent), and have limited education (three years of schooling), low life expectancy (61 years), and low annual income (USD 2,400).
In contrast, populations impacted by wildfire displacement, primarily along the United States' west coast, are older (35.7 years on average), have a low proportion of children (19 per cent), and have advanced education (12.6 years of schooling), high life expectancy (80 years), and high annual income (USD 79,000).
Differences are also evident in livelihoods and land use. The study finds that storm and flood displacements most heavily impact farming populations, while drought displacements hit pastoral communities hardest. Conflict and wildfire displacements are most concentrated in urban and semi-urban areas.
The analysis conducted by IOM's GDI combines IDMC's geolocated data covering 349 million internal displacements, or forced movements of people, worldwide between 2018 and 2024 with high-resolution global maps of demographic, socio-economic, and land-use variables. This methodology builds detailed profiles of the populations living in areas impacted by displacement, by cause and geographic region.
The report comes at a time when global humanitarian funding is under increasing pressure, making the efficient allocation of resources more important than ever. Decision-makers require detailed, disaggregated information on those affected by displacement to tailor assistance to the specific needs of diverse communities. The findings offer a data-driven foundation for improving both humanitarian assistance and long-term development planning.
"Internal displacement disrupts people's lives, from education to livelihoods," said IDMC Director Alexandra Bilak. "Investing in reliable data gives governments and partners the evidence to identify who is most at risk and direct resources where they are needed most. But data alone is not enough - it must be matched by sustained government action to turn evidence into solutions."
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