From the global to the local- How data can inform urban solutions to displacement

As urban displacement continues to rise, municipal governments face pressing challenges in addressing the needs of displaced populations and supporting their pathways towards durable solutions. This event provides a unique platform to learn from experts from humanitarian and development organizations and municipal authorities on how data can inform urban solutions to displacement, sharing insights and best practices.
The session will begin with an overview of the “Global Framework on Solutions to Urban Internal Displacement,” developed by UN-Habitat and IIED. The Framework highlights the key shifts in mindset and operational approaches that are necessary to realize calls for longer-term, development-oriented responses to protracted urban displacement. The session will then explore how to operationalize these global frameworks at the municipal level, translating high-level concepts into actionable strategies. Key discussions will focus on data and context analysis tools that can inform decision-making and support the integration of displaced individuals into urban settings. Attendees will gain insights into successful practices from various countries, including Colombia and Mozambique, which can inform their own local strategies.
Participants will not only deepen their understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with urban displacement but also learn how to harness data for more effective policy-making. This event advocates for inclusive approaches, emphasizing the importance of involving affected communities in developing solutions that truly address their needs. Join us to connect with peers, share experiences, and empower local authorities to enhance their responses to internal displacement in urban areas.
As the Office of the Special Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement (OSA) seeks to encourage longer-term, development-oriented responses, ownership and engagement from municipal governments will be critical to ensuring success. To accompany the implementations of these international standards at city level, access to reliable information and displacement profiling is key. The international community has developed a wealth of tools to generate quality, timely and accurate data and analysis, along with tools to support city-level decision-making on displacement responses and solutions. These tools are meant to better inform policy and programmatic decision making and by aiding local authorities to take the lead in these processes. Yet, many of these tools are yet to be deployed to their full potential, as many local government authorities faced with protracted urban displacement may not be aware of their existence.
The session will seek to translate these conceptual elements of global frameworks into concrete realities, drawing on specific examples from Colombia, Niger, Mozambique and Cameroon. Representatives from JIPS, IMPACT Initiatives and IDMC, as well as municipal authorities themselves, will respond to the following questions in a discussion format, to explore and share insights:
- How can global frameworks and national strategies be translated and operationalised at the municipality level? How can local learning feed into global processes? What tools and data are available to support this?
- How have municipalities responded to urban displacement? What are the best practices, key challenges and lessons learned that can inform future response?
- How can we strengthen the response to displacement to urban areas, drawing on recommendations from the OSA and Independent review of the humanitarian response to internal displacement?