The FCDO's approach to displaced people

2024 saw a continuing rise in global displacement, with at least 117.3 million people forced to flee their homes, including nearly 43.4 million refugees, around 40% of whom are under the age of 18. These vast movements of peoples, and the associated costs and disruptions, can cause significant problems in host countries. Building on the work on long-term refugees by the previous Committee, the Committee looked at the effectiveness of Official Development Assistance spending on a range of activities aimed at supporting displaced people across the globe. A major topic of the inquiry was the FCDO’s consideration of civilians at the beginning of conflicts, and whether the appropriate support and assistance are offered. Furthermore, the Committee investigated the effectiveness of ODA spending on support for people displaced by climate disasters. The Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, now replaced by the Integrated Security Fund, was intended to consider these issues, but questions remained about its effectiveness. Integral to the Committee’s inquiry was the consideration of the drivers that force people to flee and what forms of early intervention work to prevent displacement. Once people become displaced, the Committee examined what happens to them as they leave home and how their return home is facilitated. Across all of this, the Committee considered whether what the UK Government is currently doing to keep displaced people safe is working. The Committee was interested in the value for money of ODA spent on housing displaced people within the UK. Finally, the Committee evaluated Government progress against the recommendations made by the Committee in its May 2023 Report, “UK aid for refugee host countries”, including on Government support for host countries of long-term refugees, such as Jordan. Join the conversation on X using @CommonsIDC