In 2024, the global number of internally displaced people reached a record high of 83.4 million. Men, women, children, families, and generations have been forced to flee their homes within their own countries due to conflict, violence, or natural disasters.
Jan Egeland, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, highlights that internal displacement often goes unnoticed in the media, but the suffering experienced by those affected can last for years. This information is based on the latest data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
Three individuals share their personal experiences of being forced from their homes. One of them is Baby Begum from Bangladesh, a climate-vulnerable country where the number of internally displaced people due to natural disasters has been on the rise, reaching 2.4 million in 2024 according to the IDMC report. Baby Begum, a 40-year-old mother of two disabled sons, was first displaced by catastrophic floods in 2022.
Her story unfolds with her village being inundated by flash floods, leading to the loss of their home, possessions, and livelihood. Despite being rescued at the last minute, Baby Begum and her family find themselves in a series of temporary shelters, struggling to rebuild their lives. The challenges they face, from overcrowded living conditions to financial hardships, paint a bleak picture of their ongoing struggles.
Similarly, Mubarak Ibrahim from Sudan shares his experience of being displaced in a country torn by conflict between armed forces and militias, resulting in a dire humanitarian crisis. With 11.6 million internally displaced people in Sudan in 2024, Mubarak Ibrahim’s story sheds light on the widespread impact of violence and displacement on families and communities. He and his family had to escape from their Zaghawa village in Africa, which was targeted by the RSF. They were constantly bombed and attacked with heavy weapons, forcing them to flee. After the RSF attacked their village in North Darfur, burning houses and killing many civilians, including children, women, and elderly men, he decided to leave with his five children, ranging from three to 13 years old.
During the attack, they managed to escape at night and traveled west, facing many dangers along the way. One of his daughters was injured by a stray bullet. They left everything behind in their village, Saloma, which was now engulfed by the Zamzam displacement camp.
They walked about 30km to the town of Tawila, where they still did not feel safe, especially the children and women fearing further attacks. Despite the lack of resources, they found some shelter under trees or in valleys, while others sought refuge in the Jebel Marra hills.
With no access to food, water, or medical supplies, the situation became critical. His daughter’s injury had to be treated with traditional medicine due to the lack of proper facilities. His elderly mother, who was very ill, was also at risk of worsening health conditions. The influx of displaced people from neighboring areas continued to grow, adding to the already dire circumstances. No hay otro trabajo para nosotros.
Mi región es increíblemente verde y montañosa, con cascadas y ríos claros y prístinos que fluyen a través de ella. No hay carreteras. Todavía tengo primos, tías y tíos viviendo allí. Mis padres están muertos.
En casa solíamos depender de los plátanos, la yuca y el maíz que cultivábamos en la tierra. Había muchos animales, como pájaros y monos, pero han estado ausentes desde que comenzó el conflicto.
El ejército ha estado fumigando la zona con productos químicos desde 2015 para evitar que los hombres armados cultiven cultivos de coca, y parece haber devastado todo el entorno natural. Ahora, no podemos cultivar cosechas; la tierra produce muy poco.
La gente local no nos quiere aquí, y a veces pueden ser agresivos. Me entristece
Desde 2019, he vivido en Bogotá en cinco lugares diferentes. He estado tomando clases de español con un profesor en un colegio, así que ahora puedo entender un poco.
Mayormente hemos vivido en campamentos que hemos montado en parques, pero las condiciones eran malas, así que tuvimos que movernos. Unos 400 de nosotros volvimos a vivir en este parque de nuevo el lunes para protestar y presionar al gobierno a tomar acción. Ellos nunca cumplen sus promesas.
Algunos de nosotros queremos que el gobierno nos ayude a regresar a casa, mientras que otros buscan apoyo para mudarse a otro lugar.
La gente local no nos quiere aquí, y a veces pueden ser agresivos. Me entristece; deberían mostrarnos un poco de respeto. Nosotros tampoco queremos estar aquí, pero no tenemos elección.
Como le dijo a Luke Taylor