Socio-economic and psychological consequences of development-induced internal displacement and the coping strategies of female victims in Lagos Nigeria

Bamidele Alabi, University of Lagos
John Lekan Oyefara, University of Lagos

The plethora of violent strife, man-made or natural disasters, economic vicissitudes, and major development schemes have swelled the number refugees and internally displaced people, in the developing countries of the world lately. Statistics revealed that there are over 55 million people in this dire situation globally consisting of over 38 million internally displaced people, over 16 million refugees and over 1 million asylum-seekers. This study highlights the coping strategies employed by female victims of development-induced internal displacement. It uses data generated through a combination of key informants and in-depth interview methods to establish that displacements begets a myriad economic, social and psychological hardships to which the victims are compelled to devise various ingenious survival and coping strategies. The study ascertains that women cope better emotionally and economically than men in such circumstances and it also found that extended family members are a significant pillar of support to displaced persons.