Developing an inclusive research network to co-design livelihood recovery measures for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria
Funder: AHRC
Introduction
In Nigeria, conflict triggers are multi-faceted, often overlap, and foster within a weakened web of fragile cultures and institutions. These multifaceted conflicts take the form of pastoralists' vs farmers' clashes; ethnopolitical superiority and land disputes between tribes; struggle for governmental and political representation between people of Christian and Islamic faiths; and activities of militant Islamist groups. Consequently, there are over 2.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria (IDMC, 2021). The management of the IDPs is further challenged by resource availability and the poor understanding of IDPs' livelihood recovery needs.
Research Aim
Dr Ambituuni’s research is aimed at to developing an interdisciplinary network of academics and practitioner to innovatively combine livelihood studies, storytelling and risk management to develop an inclusive culturally informed livelihood recovery measures for IDPs in Nigeria?
Research Outputs
The research involves a Participatory Action Research (PAR) via a 5-day workshop using participatory drama with the IDPs in Nigeria, culminating into 4 public performances to provide visibility to IDPs' stories, and provoking discourse. The performances will serve as a means of collecting data for the identification of livelihood capabilities needed to initiate a recovery process. Using the data from the workshops and performances, the team will co-develop livelihood recovery policy framework with key stakeholders by taking a risk-based approach to explore policy approaches with the TSG.
Research Impact
Through the public performance that took place in 2022, the team have generated and provoked ongoing community discourse on the plight of the IDPs. The team have created an active network of CSOs and members of the press to advocate for governmental and non-governmental interventions.
The next stage of the project will leverage on this network to develop policy propositions and a framework of interventions
See more details on the project website