Driven apart: how repeated displacement changes family dynamics in eastern DRC

This is the second in a series of thematic papers that contribute to understanding resilience in the context of multiple displacement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the framework of a project undertaken by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), International Alert and Climate Interactive to increase resilience in the face of repeated displacement. The project aims to gather evidence and improve understanding of how multiple displacement impacts the resilience of those affected in order to improve humanitarian responses to the phenomenon.

It focuses on the impact of repeated displacement on family composition, relationships and roles in DRC and looks in more detail at how the phenomenon affects the dynamics within displaced families and their ability to cope with the consequences. The thematic paper describes the roles and responsibilities among displaced families and the impact of displacement on relationships within them. It also looks at safety nets and the role of the extended family. The paper concludes by presenting implications for policy and practice.