1. The Role of Economic Empowerment in IDP
Camps
THE CURRENT DILEMMA
About two-thirds of the world’s forcibly uprooted
people are displaced within their own country.
IDPs are persons or groups of persons who
constitute some of the world’s most vulnerable
people. As opposed to refugees, they do not cross
international borders, but have been forced or
obliged to flee their homes for such reasons as
armed conflict, generalized violence and human
right violation in order to find sanctuary. Thus,
they leave their usual places of residence to some
other location within their home countries.
THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM
As of 2013, over 32 million people were internally
displaced around the world. By a recent iDMC (the
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre)
estimate, Nigeria today has circa 1.2 million IDPs.
Sub-Saharan Africa with the largest number of
IDPs hosts over 10.4 million. At the current rate,
and with rising unrest in affected regions, there is
ample reason to expect these numbers to ascend if
drastic steps are not taken. Moreover, local
officials who work directly with the IDPs say the
real numbers are dramatically higher than the
estimates.
Many of the IDPs in Nigeria have had to flee their
homes as a result of violent attacks around the
nation - especially those in the north-eastern
regions – by the Boko Haram insurgents. The
insurrection and the government’s often ruthless
attempt to suppress it have produced a spate of
refugees and internally displaced people, and lives
lost. A vast majority of the insurgency-affected
populace is from the north-eastern states: Borno,
Adamawa and Yobe mainly. Some other states in
the north like Plateau, Bauchi and south-southern
states: Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa have IDPs fleeing
due to the proliferation of ethnic conflicts, and
violent competition for land, political and oil
wealth.
Again, floods that have ravaged states like Oyo,
Bayelsa and Anambra have led to many deaths and
IDPs. In 2012, NEMA (National Emergency
Management Agency) estimated in a published
report that a total of 7.7 million people were
affected by flooding disasters across the
federation. Out of the affected denizens, 2.1
million people were internally displaced; 363
persons died, and 18,282 others were treated for
injuries they sustained during the flooding.
THE CHALLENGES
Duringviolent conflicts or natural disasters which
force IDPs to flee, houses and properties are
destroyed and looted. Most IDPS move to safe,
neighbouring communities to take refuge in
shelters such as schools, public buildings and
places of worship. This leaves them with limited
access to basic needs: food, water and shelter.
While some efforts are made by humanitarian and
religious organisations and the government to
address the basic needs of IDPs, they tend to
remain vulnerablebecauseof barriers to accessing
healthcare services, education, employment and
participation in collective decision making
activities like voting. Further, IDPs in Nigeria face
insecurity and different forms of abuse, especially
rape and child trafficking.
HOW ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT CAN
SALVAGE THE SITUATION
War and conflicts that lead to people becoming
internally displaced affect people differently. For
the most part, the nation is deprived of potential –
and even existing – entrepreneurs, skilled workers
and merchants who have to move and leave their
businesses or establishments; a severe blow to the
economic vehicle of the country. The displacement
of farmers for example, means that land is not
being cultivated for the growing season which,
naturally has led to concerns about food security.
The Adamawa State government has initiated a
poverty alleviation program called SWEEP (Social
Welfare Economic Empowerment Program),
enlisting over 60,000 IDPs as first beneficiaries.
Some NGOs have also contributed their efforts to
provide trainings and funding for IDPs to enable
them start their own businesses or scale up any
economic enterprises they are already involved in.
Initiatives like these will certainly open the
doorway to education for both children and adults
in IDP camps, as well as gumption on their own
part to contribute to the overall growth and
decision making process of Nigeria. From
eyewitness accounts, the IDPs also give openings
for women to manage cooperatives or lead local
committees, giving them the opportunity to play
crucial roles in different areas for the good of
society.Perhaps, the IDPs area blessingin disguise
for the capacity-building potential they can bring
with more intervention by NGOs, humanitarian
agencies and the government. They should invest
more to address the root causes of displaced
persons and internal conflicts; take appropriate
measures to resolve these conflicts and promote
peace and respect for human rights; implement
more programs to assist the IDPs by providing
amenities and offering them platforms for
education and creating sustainable businesses to
revive our economic sector as a whole.
CONCLUSION
IDP assistanceand protection has come a long way
in Nigeria. What we require at this moment is to
nurture, ameliorate and sustain it. This will only
come by effective coordination and collaboration
among humanitarian agencies and national
authorities.