UNHCR launches forced displacement survey in Zambia

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Picture Courtesy of UNHCR Zambia
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in partnership with the Government of Zambia, has launched the Forced Displacement Survey (FDS) to assess the socio-economic conditions of refugees and host communities in the country.

This marks the first nationally representative study of its kind in Zambia.

The FDS aims to map out vulnerabilities, living conditions, access to services like education and healthcare, economic activity, self-reliance levels, and coping strategies.

The results will play a crucial role in ensuring refugees are included in development programs, national statistics, and planning systems, and will support Zambia’s commitment to the Global Compact on Refugees.

UNHCR Representative in Zambia Preeta Law, has underscored the significance of the survey, noting that it’s not just about data collection but about making both refugee and host communities visible in local planning processes.

By making refugees and their Zambian host communities visible and counted, we can design inclusive policies and programs for long-term, sustainable local solutions," she said.

Ms. Law said the survey, funded by the European Union with support from UNICEF, will be conducted in collaboration with the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) and the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR).

Data will be collected from April to June 2025 across Lusaka and three refugee settlements: Meheba, Mantapala, and Mayukwayukwa.

She said survey teams will interview 4,000 households, including both refugees and local Zambian communities living near refugee settlements.

While the legal statuses of refugees and host communities may differ, both groups face similar challenges, including limited access to services, economic hardship, and heightened protection risks.

Zambia continues to demonstrate its commitment to regional solidarity with an open-door policy and a National Refugee Policy aimed at strengthening its role in hosting those forced to flee their home countries.

The country is home to more than 109,000 asylum-seekers, refugees, and former refugees from countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Angola, Somalia, Rwanda, and others.

Between January and March 2025, COR registered 3,276 new asylum-seekers, most of whom arrived from the DRC to escape increasing violence, including killings, sexual violence, and abductions.

Zambian authorities, working with national and international partners, continue to provide protection and essential services to support individuals in need of international protection.

Ends………………..

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