Gender Equality Policy Marker

The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has risen dramatically in recent years, exceeding 83 million by the end of 2024.1 Internal displacement is driven mainly by new and escalating conflicts but also by climate disasters.

This brief highlights the need for joined-up humanitarian, development and peace-building efforts,a so called “HDP nexus approach” to strengthening the work to find solutions to internal displacement. Sida supports a number of development interventions aimed at providing solutions for IDPs and affected communities, complementing humanitarian assistance.

Swedish development assistance is a clear voice and driver for gender equality with a particular focus on strengthening women’s and girls’ rights and freedoms, empowerment and opportunities. Gender equality is a human right, a prerequisite, and driver for poverty reduction, sustainable peace and development. Gender equality is achieved when women and men, girls and boys and non-binary persons have equal rights, life prospects and opportunities, and the same power to shape their own lives and contribute to society. Sida strives to integrate a gender equality perspective at all levels and all thematic areas; throughout preparation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation as well as through dialogue. Sida applies a gender-transformative approach which seeks to change unequal power relations through tackling the root causes of gender inequality. Sida’s work for the advancement of gender equality is based on evidence with an intersectional gender analysis is the starting point. Sida recognises that women’s rights organisations, movements and active participation of men and boys are central for achieving sustainable results.