A new report from the Internal Displacement Solutions Fund (IDSF) shows that government-led commitments are advancing solutions to internal displacement and translating into tangible results.
The Fund, established by the United Nations Global Solutions Hub, supported 10 joint programmes with catalytic investments of up to USD 3 million each in 2025. These efforts helped unlock approximately USD 2.5 billion in national budget allocations for the protection of and solutions for internally displaced people, and mobilized more than USD 850 million in development finance.
As champions of the Fund, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcome the growing investment in long-term solutions to internal displacement. The report shows that targeted investments are helping strengthen public systems and expand access to housing, land, livelihoods, and basic services for both displaced people and host communities.
"The evidence is clear: when we invest in systems that help people rebuild their lives, displacement becomes more manageable and communities grow stronger," said Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations. "The challenge now is to scale this approach by aligning funding, policies, and partnerships so progress leads to lasting change."
"Internal displacement is not only a humanitarian challenge; it is a development and governance priority. The IDSF is helping governments embed solutions into national plans and unlock much larger sources of financing. Together with international financial institutions and the private sector, we now have an opportunity to scale nationally led solutions that deliver lasting stability and opportunity," said Shoko Noda, UNDP Crisis Bureau Director.
"Over 10 million internally displaced people returned home in 2025 - the highest level in years - showing that solutions are possible when governments, communities and partners come together. Yet many returns remain fragile, underscoring the importance of the IDSF, and sustained investment in national systems and self-reliance to ensure lasting and dignified solutions to end the cycle of displacement," said Raouf Mazou, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations.
Programmes supported by the Fund have helped allocate nearly 98,000 hectares of land for housing, livelihoods, and local integration. They have also enabled more than 200,000 displaced people to obtain legal documentation, improving access to services, employment and public support. The Fund also demonstrates strong leverage, mobilizing an estimated USD 168 from development actors for every USD 1 invested.
Despite progress, the report notes that results remain uneven. Many countries continue to face new or ongoing displacement, insecurity, and limited resources. While policy frameworks and coordination mechanisms are improving, stable, predictable financing is still lacking.
Looking ahead, the report calls for stronger alignment between development financing and national strategies, deeper engagement with international financial institutions and the private sector, and more inclusive approaches that ensure displaced people are involved in decisions that affect them.
Notes for the editors:
The Internal Displacement Solutions Fund (IDSF) is a joint UN financing mechanism that supports government-led efforts by investing in systems, policies, and partnerships that unlock larger-scale development financing. It is designed to bridge the gap between humanitarian response and long-term development approaches.
The IDSF is the financing instrument of the UN Global Solutions Hub on Internal Displacement, a light system-wide platform that connects country priorities with global policy, technical expertise, data, and financing partnerships. The Hub sets a common direction for supporting government-led solutions to displacement through stronger national ownership and more integrated UN support across humanitarian, development, peace, and financing actors. It was established through the UN Secretary-General's Action Agenda on Internal Displacement (2022) and the subsequent IASC/UNSDG Guidance on Solutions to Internal Displacement (2025).
