Internal Displacement in Nairobi: A Literature Review

This review examines existing research on the issues raised by the presence of internally displaced people (IDPs) in an urban context such as that of Nairobi, Kenya. The review explores historical and present patterns of displacement in the broader context of Nairobi’s urbanisation processes. It aims to build on the current understanding of how IDPs live in the urban environment and relate with the communities around them and governance institutions, and of whether and in what ways they are more vulnerable than other urban residents. Lessons drawn from current assistance programmes to urban IDPs and other urban residents with specific vulnerabilities are also presented. The focus of the review is primarily on IDP literature, but work related to broader Nairobi’s urbanisation and migration issues and on policy and legal frameworks is also presented where relevant.

The review informs the work of the joint ODI/HPG-IRC-IDMC-ICRC1 research project on urban IDPs in Nairobi, which forms part of a larger IDMC-ODI/HPG study on the general phenomenon of urban displacement. The final aim of the study is to improve responses to the needs of urban IDPs by better understanding urban displacement, reviewing existing responses and their impact on IDPs and other urban residents, and suggesting alternative approaches as appropriate.