IDP Protection Monitoring Assessment

In 2016, continued political instability and ongoing armed conflict in Libya has led to deteriorating living conditions and reduced access to essential services for people in a significant part of the country. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) remain one of the most vulnerable population groups as they seek out temporary shelter and scarce livelihood opportunities in urban centres, many without access to basic services. There have been multiple waves of displacement in Libya since the initial outbreak of conflict in 2011 with the fall of Gaddafi’s regime. At least 56,544 IDPs are reported to remain displaced from the 2011 armed conflict, many of whom have since been redisplaced following the May 2014 conflict.1 As of May 2014, UNHCR estimated that in East Libya, approximately 105,000 IDPs sought refuge in Benghazi city while at least 90,000 people were displaced from Benghazi, Derna and Tobruk. In the West, UNHCR reported that at least 269,000 people were displaced since mid-July 2014, with the majority of these IDPs seeking refuge in and around Tripoli, while in the South 18,500 Libyans were estimated to be displaced by the fighting in Awbari as of January 2015, with thousands of others still unable to return to their homes since the January 2014 conflict.2 The power vacuum that gave way to the rise of armed groups in Libya saw conflict in the port on Derna in October 2014, and further violence in Sirte and other strategic areas, 3 have caused thousands more Libyans to flee their homes in search of protection and assistance in recent months.