THREE-DAY CONFERENCE on Addressing Intersecting Crises: Forced Displacement, Climate Change and Gender in Social Transformation
A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE ON THE THEME:
Addressing Intersecting Crises: Forced Displacement, Climate Change and Gender in Social Transformation
Date: 23rd to 25th October, 2024
Venue: University of Ghana
Introduction
The world’s population of forcibly displaced (including refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers and stateless people) has risen sharply in recent years. The 2022 forced displacement population of up to 108.4million is nearly two-and half-times the estimate of displaced persons a decade ago and an increase of about 19 million people since 2021 (UNHCR Global Trends, 2023). At the start of 2024, one in every 74 people on the planet had been forced to flee from their homes in search of safety (UNHCR 2024). Africa and other least developed regions of the world are reported to account for approximately seventy-six percent of forcibly displaced persons (UNHCR 2024).
Some of the key drivers of forced displacement include conflict, violence, human rights abuses, fear of persecution and natural disasters (UNHCR Global Trends, 2023). With the ongoing wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza, the United Nations projects that the number of forcibly displaced persons will rise to unprecedented levels this year. Climate change further exacerbates this crisis, particularly in vulnerable regions. Deprived and arid areas, such as Africa—where much of the population depends on rain-fed agriculture—are among the hardest hit. Climate change and its associated high temperatures, droughts, flooding and dwindling agricultural productivity, intensifies food insecurity, triggers mass displacements, widens inequality both within and between countries, deepens poverty, and fuels both communal and cross-border violence especially in regions like West Africa (Cepero, et al, 2021; Osei-Amponsah, et al, 2022; Sartori & Fattibene, 2019; Teye & Owusu, 2015; Teye & Nikoi, 2022).
The impact of climate change is evident in West Africa and parts of Eastern and Southern Africa. In 2023, the Volta River Authority’s spillage of water from Ghana’s Akosombo Dam displaced an estimated 26,000 people along the Volta River basin. Similarly, a 2023 release of excess water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam, following heavy rainfall triggered flooding and displacement across southeastern Nigeria, affecting 14 local government areas in Adamawa State alone. Additionally, a record mid-season dry spell has severely impacted vast areas of Eastern and Southern Africa, including Angola, Botswana, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These areas received the lowest rainfall for the late January/February timeframe in over four decades. El Niño-induced drought and flooding have forced many to rely on unsafe water sources, fueling a sub-regional cholera outbreak (UNHCR, 2024). In regions already experiencing climate-related challenges, the influx of displaced populations adds further strain on scarce natural resources, potentially leading to over-exploitation of natural resources and social tensions. Consequently, climate change is now widely recognized as an urgent societal challenge with far-reaching consequences for both human and natural systems.
The impact of forced displacement is not evenly experienced by different members of a population. For instance, women, men, girls, and boys often face distinct challenges and vulnerabilities during displacement (Admasu, 2021; Majidi & Hennion, 2014). Specifically, displaced women and girls are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, gender-based violence, limited employment opportunities, and discrimination. They may also encounter barriers in accessing essential services such as healthcare, education, social protection, and livelihood opportunities (Jensen, 2019). Additionally, in cases of forced displacement due to terrorism or conflict, women find themselves taking on the role of a household head. The intersectional inequalities they usually encounter is often transformed into insurmountable barriers with this new role of breadwinner (Dadush & Niebuhr, 2016). Meanwhile, displaced men and boys face challenges related to their traditional or customary roles as protectors and providers, along with heightened risks of forced labour and recruitment into armed groups (Affleck, et al, 2018). However, across various countries, many communities and individuals are adapting to the changing climate and its impacts. These social transformations are propelled by factors including demography, technology and culture, helping to build resilience and mitigate fragility.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize migration as a critical driver of sustainable development for migrants and their communities. With climate change posing an existential threat to life on earth, the number of forcibly displaced populations - particularly in West Africa - is expected to keep rising for the foreseeable future. In poorer regions like Africa, where most displaced people lack access to basic public services, livelihoods, and security, it is crucial to critically examine this nexus to inform public discourse and policy is imperative.
This conference aims to engage diverse stakeholders on migration including forced displacement, the nexus between migration and climate change, social transformation, and gender to generate new knowledge to inform national and international policy frameworks and contribute to addressing some of the challenges faced by migrants, especially forcibly displaced persons, including refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). This conference will promote a deeper understanding of the nexus between forced displacement, climate change, gender, exploring how communities can restructure their social, political, cultural and economic systems using gender and social transformative approaches.
The conference seeks to highlight ongoing research with new theoretical insights and methodological approaches on the theme and sub-themes of the conference;
- Governance regimes on migration, forced displacement, climate change and social transformation
- Climate resilience, finance and adaptation among migrants including IDPs and/Refugees/Internal migrants
- Root causes and drivers of forced displacement and climate change
- Gender, migration and social transformation
- Experiences of Internal migrants, Returnees and social transformation
- Gender transformative approaches to studying migrants including IDPs and/Refugees/Internal migrants
- Livelihoods, Access, social justice of migrants including IDPs and/Refugees/Internal migrants
Proposed format:
Broadly the conference will have two interlinked formats.
Day 1: will focus on the policy dialogue on forced displacement, climate change, gendered dynamics and social transformation at the national, regional and global levels.
Day 2: will focus on the theorical and empirical aspects of the theme based on newly published research and ongoing research on the theme.
Day 3: Project meeting
Kindly register, and for potential presenters, submit your abstract here
Manuscripts that make scientific and/empirical contributions to the conference call will be selected for publication in either a special issue or an edited volume. Authors whose manuscripts are not selected for the special issue or edited volume could have the chance to submit either a policy brief or a blog publication on CMS website.
- Deadline for submission of abstract and draft manuscript: Tuesday, 5th October, 2024
- Notification of selected abstracts and draft manuscripts: 8th October, 2024