IDRC Forced Displacement Research Chairs’ Network: Strengthening knowledge, evidence use and leadership in Global South on forced displacement

 

While most forcibly displaced people live in the Global South, most research that influences policy and practice originates from researchers based in the Global North. Because of this disparity, localized knowledge about forced displacement is underused. To help address this gap, in 2021 IDRC announced the launch of research chairs on forced displacement in universities around the world to localize and institutionalize research on forced displacement in the Global South. The research chairs will be located in the Middle East, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. Additional chairs are expected to be awarded in West Africa and North Africa in 2022.

The research chairs will conduct research on forced displacement using an interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral and gender-transformative approach. They will also mentor and supervise early career scholars. They will conduct outreach with impacted communities, particularly refugee-led initiatives, support localized agenda-setting, amplify refugee and host community voices, and advocate with policy stakeholders at local and international levels to ensure a strong link between research and policy.

The project will also launch an IDRC Forced Displacement Research Chairs’ Network to formally link the research chairs through regular meetings and activities. The aim is to provide a forum for collaboration and the amplification of the work of the individual chairs and their collective impact nationally and globally. It will support: peer-to-peer and collaborative learning, cross-regional exchange and collaborative research and analysis; joint knowledge mobilization activities in the form of webinars, publications, newsletters and social media and online presence; sustainability, training and capacity-building activities, including applications for further funding; and access to global fora to disseminate the work of the research chairs to better impact global policies on forced displacement, particularly UN and government policies.