4th JDC Research Conference on Forced Displacement

June 4-6, 2026 - Bangkok, Thailand. Venue: Chatrium Grand Bangkok

The World Bank – UNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement (JDC) brought together a diverse group of researchers, policymakers, government representatives, international organizations and development partners to examine new evidence on forced displacement and its implications for policy and practice.

Throughout the three-day event, participants shared research and perspectives on self-reliance and economic inclusion, returns and reintegration, statistical inclusion, methodological innovation, and the use of data and evidence to inform policy and operational decisions. The discussions highlighted both progress in the evidence base and important gaps that remain, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

– Access full recordings of the sessions here

– Access the papers presented at the Conference here

– Access the post-event report here. The report includes a summary of the evidence, key policy and operational implications, and priorities for action.

The Conference featured a combination of academic presentations, keynote note lectures and policy-oriented panels. The event addressed the following topics:

1. Quantitative analysis of drivers and effects of self-reliance among the forcibly displaced, stateless people and the host communities.

2. Quantitative research on pathways to and the impact of economic inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless people, including evidence on skills development, job integration, private sector investments, and entrepreneurship.

3. Socioeconomic evidence on the return of displaced populations, reintegration challenges, and durable solutions.

4. Methodological innovations in quantitative forced displacement research (e.g., sampling, data collection methods).

5. Operational and policy impact of data and evidence in displacement settings.

Evidence presented

(Links to papers and presentations shared upon availability)

All opinions and views expressed are those of the authors and panelists only, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Joint Data Center, its parent institutions, and other co-organizing partners.

Keynote Lecture: The political Impact of Refugees in Africa

The Political Impact of Refugees in Africa (Presentation) | Jean-François Maystadt, Research Associate Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique – FNRS, Professor at Economic School of Louvain, UCLouvain, and Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University, UK

Academic session: Effects of aid and aid cuts

Food Aid, Barter, and Money: Evidence from Rohingya Refugee Camps (Presentation) | Joaquin Endara – University of Michigan

Examining the Link between Aid and Support for Refugees: U.S. Aid Cuts and Kakuma Camp, Kenya (Presentation) | Mae MacDonald – Stanford University

Disrupted Aid, Displaced Lives: Unraveling the Impact of Refugee Aid Cuts (Presentation) | Shelby Carvalho – Stanford University

Academic session: Socioeconomics effects in host countries

Burdens or Builders? Housing Market Effects of Afghan Refugees in Iran (Presentation) | Sepehr Ekbatani – Khatam University

Economic Recovery and Social Cohesion: A Field Experiment with Capital Grants in Post-War Iraq | Andrea C. Caflisch – International Organization for Migration

Academic session: Movements of refugees, IDPs and returnees

Beyond Camps and Communities: The Economics of Refugee Relocation in Bangladesh (Presentation) | María José Urbina – World Bank

War and internal displacement (Presentation) | Miguel Ruiz – World Bank

Determinants of Syrian Refugees’ Return (Presentation) | Chen Fang – UN Refugee Agency

Academic session: Development and economic inclusion

Displacement and Development: Evidence from a Graduation Program for Somalia’s Ultra-Poor Paper and (Presentation) | Deboleena Rakshit – International Food Policy Research Institute

Building Business Networks to Strengthen Refugee Economic and Social Integration Paper and (Presentation) | Sigrid Weber – IE University Madrid

Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Economic Inclusion in Forced Displacement: What Drives Venture Creation? Evidence from Inkomoko in Rwanda Paper and (Presentation) | Dennis Kyalo – Inkomoko

Academic session: Conflict, mobility and household effects

Refugee Camps and Host-Community Migration: Evidence from Long-Term Individual Tracking Data (Presentation) | Anna Gasten – University of Gottingen

Civil War and Household Structure: Evidence from Burundi | Richard Akresh – University of Illinois

From Space to Settlements: Earth Observations for support prioritization and monitoring Paper and (Presentation) | Steven Ndung’u – UN Refugee Agency

Academic session: Health and childhood in displacement settings

Depression, poverty, and cash: Experimental evidence from a refugee camp | Antonia Delius – University of Oxford

Cash Transfers, Diet Quality, and Child Growth Among Refugee Children: Evidence from Turkey’s ESSN Program Paper and (Presentation) | Murat Kırdar – Koç University

Forcibly Displaced Childhoods: Longitudinal Evidence from Displaced Youth in Colombia | Sandra V. Rozo – World Bank

Key note lecture: Breaking the cycle: Poverty and mental health among forcibly displaced populations

Breaking the Cycle: Poverty and Mental Health among Forcibly Displaced Populations (Presentation) | Andrés Moya – Associate Professor in Economics at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá