Borders within: Access to care and risk for health in times of internal displacement

Internal displacement defines the people who are forced to flee their homes but do not cross international borders. They remain within their countries of origin, often located in the Global South. While international migration and especially the flow of people who cross borders into Europe, is often mediatised, internal displacement and its challenges for States, humanitarian actors and people themselves are much less known to the wider public. However, internally displaced people account for more than 73,9 million people worldwide (UNHCR, 2025) - 60 percent of the total displaced population, which includes refugees, asylum seekers and stateless people.

Drawing on case studies of internal displacement from Nigeria, Mali, Syria and Palestine, the speakers will discuss the specific challenges that internal displacement brings in terms of access to health care, specific health risks they face and what their experiences tell us about how to address these challenges.

By bringing together academic experts, healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience, the event aims to foster an interactive dialogue with the audience on strategies to safeguard health rights and promote equitable healthcare delivery for all in contexts of displacement, conflict and chronic crisis. The seminar aims to contribute to the growing mobilization against exclusionary practices. During the concluding panel debate we will discuss how academic institutions and civil society organizations can be vocal in opposing policies that undermine healthcare as a human right.

For whom?

Researchers with an interest in the subject, health professionals, welfare workers, policy makers and other interested audiences