The United Nations High Commission for Refugees reported that by the end of 2023 there were 117.3 million people around the world who had been forced to flee from their homes. The UN Refugee Agency also revealed that low- and middle-income countries were hosting 75% of these populations.
Given the central role these countries play in receiving displaced people, IDRC set out to localize and institutionalize research and knowledge on forced displacement in the Global South. Using a competitive process, IDRC chose 12 universities to create and fill research chair positions. The CAD7.5 million initiative supports the research chairs for five years.
The IDRC Research Chairs on Forced Displacement are developing their field of study from a Global South perspective to contribute to long-lasting solutions to the challenges of forced displacement. Drawing on many disciplines, they are committed to excellence in research, curriculum development, teaching and mentoring young scholars. They work with impacted communities, support localized agenda-setting, amplify the voices of displaced people and host communities and advocate with policy stakeholders at local, national and international levels to ensure a strong link between research and policy.
The IDRC Research Chairs Network on Forced Displacement is supported by the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) at Carleton University. LERRN supports:
- peer-to-peer and collaborative learning through regular meetings and joint research activities among research chairs, twinning opportunities and joint publications
- sustainability, training and capacity-building through activities for both the research chairs and students, and by establishing pathways to sustainability in funding
- access to global fora by supporting participation in international events, publications in influential outlets and meetings with global policy-makers and donors
- joint knowledge mobilization through webinars, publications and conferences to share findings and influence priorities