The South Sudan Forced Displacement Survey (FDS) 2023 dataset is now available in the Microdata Library. As the first implementation of UNHCR’s flagship FDS survey programme, this dataset provides comprehensive insights into the socio-economic conditions of both refugees and host communities in South Sudan. The survey was conducted across approximately 3,000 households—68% of which were refugee households and 32% host community households—covering a range of topics, including demographics, health, livelihoods, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), and more. This standardized and reliable data supports the development of targeted interventions and informed policies to address the needs of displaced populations in South Sudan.
The High Frequency Survey (HFS) for Q2 2024 has been completed, focusing on the Venezuelan population residing in Colombia. This survey, conducted between April and June 2024, captures data from individuals who have been in Colombia for a minimum of three months. The HFS is designed to gather critical information on key protection areas such as access to territory, documentation, child protection, well-being, and education.
Data was collected through face-to-face interviews across 19 regions in Colombia, covering a diverse range of contexts. This approach ensures that the data reflects the specific challenges and conditions faced by the displaced populations in these areas.
The Joint Protection Monitoring in Cox’s Bazar is a collaborative effort by the humanitarian community to document protection violations. The initiative, led by UNHCR and partner organizations, focuses on safeguarding nearly 942,944 Rohingya refugees across 33 camps. Since 2022, this initiative systematically tracks protection risks, including gender-based violence, child protection, and access to justice. Findings are shared in a public report on a quarterly basis. The 2023 data, collected through face-to-face interviews, informs policies on territory access, documentation, and safety. By analyzing incidents and services, the Joint Protection Monitoring aims to improve protection efforts and ensure the well-being of this vulnerable population.
The short-term effects of visa restrictions on migrants’ legal status and well-being: A difference-in-differences approach on Venezuelan displacement – October 2024
The study by Omar Hammoud-Gallego explores the impact of visa restrictions on Venezuelan migrants across South America. Utilizing data from the UNHCR’s Protection Monitoring surveys conducted between 2019 and 2020, which encompass a broad sample of migrants and refugees, Hammoud-Gallego identifies significant outcomes of these restrictions. The research reveals that visa restrictions have substantially increased the likelihood of irregular entry and irregular visa status among migrants. Although there was an expectation that irregular migration might lead to increased violence, the study found no significant rise in violence experienced by migrants using irregular channels. However, these restrictions did shift migrants’ priorities, pushing them to focus more on regularizing their legal status over seeking employment, thereby affecting their integration into host countries. The findings offer critical insights for policymakers dealing with migration in contexts of mass displacement and porous borders.
Do you want to influence the future of data and reporting on forcibly displaced and stateless people by UNHCR? We are looking for feedback from people who work within the humanitarian sector and those researching and/or reporting on activities related to forcibly displaced and stateless people on UNHCR’s data and reporting websites. Please take 5-10 minutes to participate in this survey: https://forms.office.com/e/mFs91Kd3xS
Other news from the Curators
On September 19th, 2024, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) successfully launched its internal Forced Displacement Portal, which leverages over 90 external open-source indicators relevant to the IMF country teams’ engagements with countries impacted by forced displacement, sourced from 23 entities including UNHCR, UN, academia, the OECD, the JDC, and the World Bank Group, across six macro-economic categories (i.e. Demographics, Labor and Household Characteristics, Law and Policy, Fiscal Indicators, Financial Access, and other Supporting Indicators). The Portal also sources from four Microdata Library’s thematic collections (Vulnerability Assessments, Socioeconomic Assessments, IDP Profiling, Needs Assessments). The portal showcases both data and analytics, benefitting from regular updates directly from partners’ open sources.
After completing a few operational steps, the IMF plans to launch the portal externally in early 2025, with the aim of increasing data access for academics and researchers working on forced displacement and how to quantify its macro-economic impact. For questions or inquiries, please contact Annalaura Sacco (ASacco@IMF.org) and Patricia Escalante (PEscalante@IMF.org), and copy the FD Portal mailbox (FD-Portal@IMF.org).
Microdata Library Stats
Did you know that the Library now has 16 datasets fromColombia?
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The Microdata Library is part of UNHCR's Global Data Service. The purpose of the quarterly updates is to share the latest developments of UNHCR's Microdata Library and its impact on research and knowledge.