Abstract |
In the last 20 years, on-going conflicts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries have led to massive displacements. In the province of Nord-Kivu, epicentre of the crisis, there are currently 53 displacement sites that host about 185,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs). IDPs tend to leave camps as soon as they consider their home villages to be safe. At the same time, camps are also being closed for political motivations, creating large flows of IDPs to unknown areas. The World Food Programme (WFP) and other humanitarian actors need to track returnees and understand their need for assistance. WFP conducts a monthly phone survey in Mugunga III, an IDP camp on the outskirts of Goma, the capital of Nord-Kivu. The main goal of this remote survey is to monitor the food security situation in the camp. However, this paper demonstrates that this innovative tool also proves successful in monitoring the situation of returnees and understanding the dynamics of their returns. This remote monitoring technology is expected to be even more useful when the authorities decide to close the camp. If the results are disseminated, an increase in government accountability should be observed. This research was conducted in collaboration with WFP in an attempt to extend the applications of high frequency survey data. To continue this research, methodological adjustments should be taken before considering applying the tool to another displacement site. |