The first Frontiers of Development event brought together 60 world leading early and mid-career researchers to address the prosperity and wellbeing of displaced people.
The event was held 12-14 February in Kigali, Rwanda, where millions of people have been displaced as a result of violence during the 1994 genocide.
The first session, “Drivers of mass displacement”, delved into how both natural hazards and conflict and violence are huge drivers of forced displacement of large populations. The 10 largest displacement events of 2016 were climate-related, and in most cases housing infrastructure is not prepared for this sudden and un-planned movement of people.
Dr Jayati Das-Munshi, one the Academy’s Clinician Scientist Fellows, chaired a dynamic and interactive session on how to best provide access to education and healthcare for people who have been displaced. Resilient healthcare services that are able to cope with increases in populations are vital to provide much-needed stability for those who have been displaced. Work should be done to embed these into national policy.
About the event, Dr Das-Munshi said:
“It was a pleasure to be a part of this fantastic meeting, an event which has allowed me to properly reflect on the many advantages of cross-discipline collaborations.
“Meeting people from diverse fields such as engineering, law and medicine, and colleagues from international non-governmental sectors, especially those working in less resourced environments, was eye-opening.
“I have a clearer understanding of the pressing global challenges we face, such as migration and mass displacement.”
Integrating those who have been displaced, be it by war, tsunami or something else beyond their control, is key to rebuilding communities, and bringing diversity to native populations. Success in this area would rely on training and flexible integration programmes, where all skillsets are recognised and work experience is combined with language learning. Meaningful job creation is essential for providing long-term prosperity within new settings.
We look forward to seeing the summary Insights report that will be produced by the Royal Academy of Engineering. This will use the themes discussed during the meeting to highlight the most pressing challenges which need to be addresses to ensure that displacement does not define opportunities or quality of life.
To find out more about the Frontiers of Development programme, visit the Royal Academy of Engineering’s website.
This programme is funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund, which forms part of the UK Government’s Official Development Assistance funding.
The event held by The Royal Academy of Engineering on behalf of The Academy of Medical Sciences, The British Academy and The Royal Society aimed to create an interdisciplinary and collaborative atmosphere, addressing the complex questions surrounding mass displacement. The event was chaired by Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga and Professor Dame Henrietta Moore FBA, internationally renowned experts within this area.