CHAPTER 4
Figure
| IDPs protected/assisted
by UNHCR
Global number
conflict-generated
IDPs | IDPs
Includes
IDPs14protected/assisted
by UNHCR
vsvsGlobal
numberofof
conflict-generated
people in
since
2007,
(in millions)
Includes people
in an
an IDP-like
IDP-likesituation
situation
since
2007,
(in millions)
40
30
20
10
1996
2001
Conflict-generated*
a
2006
2016
0
Protected by UNHCR
IDMC
Nearly 3 million of these returning IDPs have
required UNHCR assistance.
According to the Government, there were 7.4 million
registered IDPs in Colombia at the end of 2016, 50
an increase of some half a million from the
beginning of the year, with no IDP returns or other
decreases reported. As a result, Colombia
remained the country with the largest IDP
population (Figure 15).
Syria remained the country with the second-highest
IDP population, despite a decrease from 6.6 million
at the end of 2015 to 6.3 million a year later.
However, unlike Colombia, this end-year population
was a product of both increases and decreases.
Some 600,000 IDPs returned to their homes, while
a further decrease of some 800,000 was caused by
factors such as IDPs seeking protection outside the
country as refugees or administrative adjustments.
Simultaneously, other factors increased the IDP
population by some 1.2 million.
As with Syria, Iraq also saw a decrease in its IDP
population, although this population remained
large. In Iraq, IDPs decreased from 4.4 million to 3.6
million during 2016. Some 1.4 million displaced
people returned home, nearly half a million with
UNHCR assistance.
At the same time, there were nearly 600,000 newly
displaced IDPs. Anbar province saw significant
movement in the IDP population, reflecting the fluid
36
2011
situation during the military campaigns against the
so-called Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL)
and other non-State armed groups in 2016. Nearly
300,000 IDPs were newly displaced in Anbar
province during the year, while nearly 600,000
returned. Additionally, Ninewa province, which saw
fierce fighting, especially around the city of Mosul,
still had more than 1 million IDPs, despite 180,000
people returning.
The IDP population in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo increased substantially, rising from 1.6
million to 2.2 million during 2016. Years of armed
conflict and general insecurity, both local and
regional, have created a complex and long-standing
humanitarian crisis. Nearly all new displacement
occurred in the eastern provinces, where the
security situation remained volatile. Many of these
IDPs experience multiple displacements, increasing
their vulnerability as they often cannot recuperate
from previous losses, both material and in terms of
social support structures.
50 The large number of registered IDPs in Colombia comes from
the total cumulative figure recorded in the Government’s Victims
Registry, which commenced in 1985. While a peace agreement
has been signed, the Victims Unit does not have a system for
de-registering IDPs. Since UNHCR uses Government figures
for the total population, the projected increase in these figures
is provided based on new displacement trends. The issue of
de-registration versus active cases is being discussed, and
the Government is advancing with legislation in this regard:
Decree 2569, a profiling and response strategy to determine if
registered victims have attained durable solutions. See http://rni.
unidadvictimas.gov.co/RUV.
UNHCR > GLOBAL TRENDS 2016