Partnerships for post-conflict recovery

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This paper presents findings from empirical field research conducted in Sierra Leone between June and August 2003, focusing on the resettlement and reintegration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It examines the policies, actors, and challenges involved, while testing the Impoverishment Risks and Reconstruction Model (IRR) originally designed for development-induced displacement but claimed to be applicable to conflict-induced situations. The research, based on policy documents and interviews with IDPs, government officials, and international partners, reveals several key conclusions. IDPs face risks such as joblessness, homelessness, limited access to healthcare, food insecurity, community disintegration, and loss of property, though landlessness and marginalization were not identified as risks. The resettlement process lacked adequate sensitization and respect for safety and dignity, leaving some IDP camps still occupied by individuals who felt excluded post-resettlement. Many IDPs have developed coping strategies to address these gaps, while those unable to cope have experienced further economically motivated displacement. The findings suggest that an integrated approach to resettlement is crucial for reversing identified risks and rebuilding livelihoods in communities affected by war.