Challenges for the implementation of the right to education of forcibly displaced children in North-East, Nigeria

Published on March 11, 2021
Olanike ADELAKUN | genida

Conflict induced internal displacement has caused over 2 million to be homeless across Nigeria with over 80% of the displaced population being women and children – with children accounting for the larger part of this population. While there appears to be a strong institutional framework to protect internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, the legal framework on which the institutions could thrive is relatively weak. The lack of a uniform approach in ensuring access to education among the displaced and nondisplaced calls for a proactive measure on the part of the Nigerian government in providing compulsory and free basic education to all children of school age without any form of discrimination on the societal status of the children

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Researching Internal Displacement publishes engaging and insightful short pieces of writing, artistic and research outputs, policy briefings and think pieces on internal displacement.

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By Marie Courtoy | Apr 28, 2026
This ninth volume in our series on ‘Internal Displacement in a Changing World Order’ argues that international law is currently ill-suited to making human movement part of the solutions to climate change. It remains trapped in a palliative approach in the face of foreseeable risks, with a negative understanding of movement that limits the potential for positive adaptation. However, promoting adaptive mobility could minimise forced movement. Adaptive mobility can be individual, through sustainable solution options for those who decide to leave, or planned with the support of public authorities, subject to certain considerations and safeguards. The article proposes a conceptual evolution of human movements in international law to promote adaptive mobility and thus avoid displacement, while emphasising the need to consider the context in any (im)mobile adaptation measure.
By Igor Paulo Ubisse Capitine, Álvaro Marcela Manhiça, Willy Susse de Jesus Monjane, Ivan da Costa Tomás Jr and Paulo Salvador da Silva Tembe Jr | Apr 21, 2026
As global humanitarian funding declines and nationalist agendas gain prominence, internally displaced populations (IDPs) face growing health and social risks. Using Mozambique as a central case, this eighth paper in our series on ‘Internal Displacement in a Changing World Order’ examines how shifting political and financial dynamics are reshaping the social determinants of health for IDPs in contexts of recurrent displacement. In Mozambique, where conflict, climate-related hazards, and structural poverty make displacement predictable rather than exceptional, humanitarian assistance has been critical in saving lives but remains predominantly short-term and crisis-driven, failing to address the structural drivers of displacement, leaving many exposed to cumulative health and social vulnerability once emergency responses subside. The paper argues for a transition toward resilient, nationally led systems that integrate IDPs into inclusive health, social protection, and climate adaptation agendas, reframing displacement as a core health equity and development challenge rather than a temporary humanitarian concern.
By Thomas Mulder and Jane McAdam | Apr 17, 2026
Countries around the world are currently negotiating the first-ever global treaty dedicated to protecting people affected by disasters. The treaty on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters—due to be adopted in 2027—aims to improve how States prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters. At the most recent negotiations in New York in April 2026, States signalled their broad support for the treaty’s objectives, including respect for human rights, disaster risk reduction and cooperation to assist countries most affected by climate-related hazards. However, there is a significant omission: disaster-related displacement. This is concerning given that displacement is often one of the most serious and lasting impacts of disasters, which are occurring with greater frequency and intensity. In this blog post, Thomas Mulder and Jane McAdam explain why failing to address displacement risks leaving the treaty out of step with reality. If the treaty is truly to protect people in disasters, it must confront displacement directly—not treat it as an afterthought.