Evidence-based reforms are creating dignified economic opportunities for refugees—while strengthening host economies. At the end of August, the Royal Thai government announced the adoption of a resolution granting long-staying refugees from Myanmar the legal right to work in Thailand. This policy recognizes the protracted reality for roughly 81,000 forcibly displaced people and aims for a double dividend: enabling refugees to contribute to Thailand’s economy while reducing dependence on humanitarian aid. As indicated by UNHCR, if fully implemented this new policy will set a regional benchmark for a sustainable, rights-based approach, serving as a model for other countries facing similar challenges.

Ethiopia’s directive: translating rights into economic opportunity. Similar momentum is also emerging in other regions. For example, in 2024, Ethiopia issued a Directive operationalizing refugees’ and asylum seekers’ right to work. The Directive—influenced by findings from the Socio-Economic Survey of Refugees in Ethiopia, a JDC-supported effort by the World Bank, the Ethiopian Statistical Service (ESS), the Ethiopia Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), and UNHCR—is set to enhance refugees’ access to economic opportunities and the labor markets. It is one more step on a path started by the Ethiopian Government in 2019, and which the World Bank has been accompanying with the Economic Opportunities Program: an initiative to support the economic inclusion of Ethiopians and refugees by improving access to basic services, expanding job opportunities, and enhancing environmental management.

Why tracking policy matters: DWRAP. Understanding which policies enable self-reliance—and under what conditions—is therefore central to sound decision-making. The Dataset of Refugee and Asylum Policy (DWRAP), developed with the support of the JDC, provides a comprehensive overview of de jure asylum and refugee policies across 193 countries from 1951 to 2022. It covers domains such as access to services, livelihood indicators and access to civil rights among others. An interactive platform for exploring trends and cross-country differences accompanies the dataset. By systematically tracking socially and economically inclusive policies, DWRAP can help researchers, practitioners and policymakers benchmark progress and identify replicable, context-appropriate reforms.

Bridging research and policy: the Marketplace on Forced Displacement Research. To accelerate the uptake of evidence and inform effective policies and programs, the JDC is launching the Marketplace on Forced Displacement Research. This will be a transparent, virtual space where policymakers, practitioners, donors, and other stakeholders, can post research needs related to forced displacement; researchers will then be able to propose relevant and actionable analysis and solutions. The goal: shorten the distance between decision-making and the evidence that should inform it.

To build momentum around this initiative, the JDC convened an in-person event in collaboration with the International Institute of Humanitarian Law. The conversations that took place during the event will inform the online platform that the JDC aims to release shortly. Importantly, they will foster new opportunities to employ evidence and data for policymaking on forced displacement

A new opportunity for disseminating research. The Joint Data Center is pleased to announce its 4th Research Conference on Forced Displacement, organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Economics of Chulalongkorn University, UNHCR, and the World Bank. The Conference will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 27-29, 2026. Research papers can be submitted to [email protected] by January 5, 2026.

Aissatou Maisha Dicko

Head of the World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement

Our literature review delves into recent research on forced displacement in Turkey, Ethiopia, Peru, Niger, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Chad, and broader Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on themes such as child health and nutrition, gender and livelihoods, cash-based assistance, entrepreneurship support, welfare and living conditions, and refugee self-reliance.

Explore our latest literature review and previous editions, organized by categories and countries, on our website.