The IDRC Research Chair on Forced Displacement in Anglophone West Africa was established in 2024 under the Democratic and Inclusive Governance (DIG) Programme of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, in partnership with the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS), University of Ghana, which hosts the Chair. It responds to the growing forced displacement crisis in West Africa, driven by conflict, insecurity, political violence, and climate-related disasters. 

With over 110 million people forcibly displaced globally and Sub-Saharan Africa hosting one in five of this population, displacement in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia has become a critical humanitarian, governance, development, and security challenge. Despite existing research, major gaps persist in understanding access to public services, gendered and intersectional experiences, and the effectiveness of governance and legal frameworks, limiting evidence-based and inclusive policy responses.

The Chair addresses these gaps by strengthening locally grounded, gender-transformative, and interdisciplinary research led from the Global South. Situated at the University of Ghana’s Centre for Migration Studies, a leading hub for migration research and policy engagement in Africa, the Chair promotes knowledge production, capacity-building, and policy impact. It supports early-career scholars, fosters cross-regional learning within IDRC’s global network of Forced Displacement Chairs, and bridges research, policy, and practice through engagement with policymakers, civil society, and displaced communities. 

Through research outputs, training, and innovative communication approaches, the Chair aims to influence governance systems, inform inclusive solutions, and amplify the voices of displaced populations and African scholars in shaping responses to forced displacement in West Africa and beyond.