A record of 50.8 million people across the globe are internally displaced due to the disaster or conflict and coronavirus outbreak posing a new threat. The internal Displacement Monitor Centre (IDMC) claimed in its annual report that he pandemic outbreak might add further risk to millions of already vulnerable people.
According to the report, more than 45 million people around the world have forced to flee their homes because of violence and clashes. It added that further 5 million people had been displaced due to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and Tsunamis.
The number of displaced people primarily because of the violence and remain displaced in their own countries has reached a record high. The IDMC report also noted that nearly 33.4 million new displacements were recorded in 2019, highest since 2012.
Most displaced people, whether living in their own countries or any refugee camps, are living in dire hygiene and health conditions. Health experts fear that the novel coronavirus is expected to make the lives of these people more difficult.
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Such overcrowded places, including emergency shelters and camps, make it very difficult to practice effective social distancing and recommended hygiene measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.
Alexandra Bilak, the director of IDMC, said that the coronavirus pandemic comprises “precarious living conditions by further limiting their access to essential services and humanitarian aid”. The agency said that the alarming number of displaced people around the world is a sign of collective failure.
It has urged all the governments to step up their efforts in ending the deadly conflicts all around the world, including the Syrian Civil War. In Syria, millions of people were forced to flee their homes since the power-hungry Assad-regime backed by Russia launched an offensive to gain control.
The reports also highlight the conflicts in other parts of the world, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and Afghanistan. It further added that more efforts need to be made in tackling climate change and prepare for natural disasters.
Last year, millions of people were displaced because of cyclones and floods. The IDMC called on the governments to provide health care to the displaced and address the causes of displacement.
It further added that the body is closely watching the situation in Iraq, where the first confirmed case among the displaced had been reported, and other countries like Yemen where the displacement crisis is worsening, and the infection rate is rising.
IDMC also notes the increase in displaced people because of the pandemic outbreak. It noted that in India, nearly 600,000 migrant workers stranded because of the government lockdown. Thousands of them were forced to walk back home.
