FMO Thematic Guide: Gender and Forced Migration

Forced migration commonly “refers to the movements of refugees and internally displaced people” (IDPs). It is different from ‘voluntary’ migration because in the former there is no prior desire or motivation to leave (International Association for the Study of Forced Migration – IASFM). The main causes of involuntary displacement are wars and armed conflicts, although natural disasters and development projects are also to blame. There are other types of forced migration as well, but these are not rigid categories since sometimes causes overlap. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are some 50 million uprooted people around the world, including both refugees and IDPs. Around 75-80 per cent of them are women and children; women and girls account for an estimated 50 per cent of any displaced population.