Join the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of International Migration for a virtual discussion on ways that internally displaced persons can increase their participation in decision-making processes. 

Through its partners, the UN Secretary-General's High Level Panel on Internal Displacement consulted over 12,500 IDPs in 22 countries to ask about priority needs for solutions. The top three issues cited were: (1) safety and security, (2) housing, land and property, and (3) livelihoods. An alarming proportion reported they did not feel heard by decision-makers, with this being particularly true for women, the LGBTI community, youth, indigenous and marginalized populations, and host community members.

While it has been fairly common to stress the importance of including internally displaced persons in programmatic and policy decision-making, there is still a long way to go before this becomes a reality. Suggestions, based on research from South Sudan and Niger, have been made regarding how to increase participation of IDP women by looking at their roles in the household, community or camp and national-level decisions. Other reports have called for increased electoral participation of IDPs.