Data and analysis

Good decision-making relies on credible, timely data.

UNHCR is enhancing the availability and quality of data and evidence on refugees, displaced persons, stateless populations, and host communities to optimize resource distribution and develop evidence-based policies.

Bangladesh. Joint initiative to enhance KoBoToolbox for data collection and analysis in displacement.

Two men, one in a UNHCR vest and one without, stand talking outside a row of buildings

Latest on the UNHCR Data Blog

Measuring absorption capacity: a new tool for inclusive response and integration planning in South Sudan
The humanitarian funding crisis: a looming health catastrophe for refugees and their host communities
East, Horn, and Great Lakes of Africa: Leveraging Data for Sustainable Refugee Responses

Latest publications

Water-spreading weirs, pictured from above, in an arid landscape in Eastern Chad

Self-Reliance of Refugees in Chad: A Business Case for Water Spreading Weirs | Sudan Regional Crisis – Development Action Platform

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Refugee women and those from the host community plough a garden in Biankouri, Togo

Refugees in Togo rely on community support – but low savings, rent insecurity, and limited employment undermine self-reliance.

Read the report: English | French

Volunteers serve food at an outdoor community kitchen in Omdurman

Navigating the complexity of return: Findings from the Forced Displacement Survey, South Sudan 2023.

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Socioeconomic research, analytical notes and policy briefs on forced displacement

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Global

Socio-economic evidence in practice in forcibly displaced settings. Vol 3 July 2025: Putting data to work
The economic case for welcoming refugees: A growing body of evidence shows that with inclusive policies, refugees contribute positively to host countries – Fact sheet
Socio-economic evidence in practice in forcibly displaced settings. Vol 1 June 2021: Examples of UNHCR's uses of socioeconomic data to inform evidence-based programming, policy and advocacy – French
Socio-economic evidence in practice in forcibly displaced settings. Vol 2 June 2022: Examples of uses of socio-economic data in advocacy, policy and programmes

Americas

Chile: multidimensional poverty of refugees and migrants in Chile – Evidence brief
Using cross-survey imputation to estimate poverty for Venezuelan refugees in Colombia – Working paper
A critical assessment of the labour-based regularization programme (PEPFF) of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia – Policy brief
Violence-driven displacement in Mexico: Why including IDPs in national statistics is necessary to inform a protection-based response – Report
Socioeconomic integration of forcibly displaced populations in Latin America and the Caribbean – Note – Video
What does the evidence say about IDPs in Colombia? – Evidence bulletin #1 – September 2023
Impact of Venezuelan flow on Roraima State in Brazil – Implications for public policy
Integration of Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants in Brazil – Research paper – Blog post
Assessment of datasets in Colombia available for research – Data mapping

Asia and the Pacific

Rebuilding lives: How return duration shapes income generation and reintegration dynamics for Afghan returnees – Report – Summary – Blog
Two Settlements, Two Diverging Paths: Jobs and Labor Market Outcomes for the Displaced Rohingya Population - Analysis Based on The Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char Panel Surveys – Report
The impact of livelihood activities among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh – Policy brief
Gaming for cohesion between Rohingya and Bangladesh host community – Policy brief
Demographic profile and humanitarian needs of 30,000 refugees relocated to the Bhasan Char island – Demographic study – Livelihoods brief
The impact of financial assistance through volunteer programmes in Cox's Bazar refugee camps – Research Brief
Age- and gender-based health risks facing adolescents within Rohingya refugee and Bangladeshi host communities – Policy briefs on health, nutrition, and SRH
Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh – Innovations in gathering host and refugee evidence from the Rohingya crisis in Cox's Bazar
Cox's Bazar Panel Survey – A comprehensive, large-sample survey that tracks both host and refugee households over time in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes

Navigating the complexity of return: Findings from the Forced Displacement Survey, South Sudan 2023 – Report
Ethiopia: multidimensional poverty of refugees in and out of camps, relative to host communities
Reintegration and service gap analysis in South Sudan – Report, key findings, and assessment toolkit
Kenya Analytical Program on Forced Displacement (KAP-FD) – Factsheet – Report on the Kenya Longitudinal Socioeconomic Study of Refugees and Host Communities – Infographic – Blog: Education as a catalyst for community integration
The Transformative Power of Citizenship: Findings from the 2024 Socioeconomic Study of the Shona Community in Kenya – Press release – Report – Policy Brief
Livelihoods lost: Findings from two rounds of the Somalia Displacement Phone Survey (2022) – Report
Refugee struggle, professional downgrading, and skills mismatches in the labour market in Uganda – Research paper
Improving employment outcomes in Uganda – Summary – Policy brief – Knowledge brief – Blog post
Supporting the most vulnerable groups in Uganda – Targeting assistance programmes to persons with specific needs and vulnerabilities
Innovative Microlending in Kenya – Kiva Zip & RefugePoint – Enabling refugee entrepreneurs to become more successful and self-reliant
A high number of refugees and host members in Kenya cannot see well – Thematic note
Kalobeyei Settlement in Kenya – Full report – Summary – Infographic – Microdata
Kakuma Camp in Kenya – Full report – Summary – Infographic – Microdata
Urban refugees in Kenya – Full report – Summary – Infographic
Comparative analysis of urban and camp-based refugees in Kenya – Full report – Summary – Infographic
Stateless Shona community in Kenya – Full report – Summary – Blog post – Microdata
Summary of sectors, thematic areas, and associated datasets in Rwanda – Data mapping overview

Europe

Middle East and North Africa

Socioeconomic contributions of refugees and displaced persons in MENA (January 2026)
Enhanced Regional Survey on Syrian Refugees’ Perceptions and Intentions on Return to Syria (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon) – Report (September 2025)
Understanding Syrian refugee and IDP return dynamics in 2025 – Project concept note
Understanding the socio-economic profile of refugee arrivals in Mauritania since 2023: Analysis of UNHCR and WFP data on Malian refugees living in Mauritania (October 2024) – Policy brief: English – Policy brief: French
Socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on forcibly displaced populations in Lebanon – Microdata

Southern Africa

Graduation programme in Mozambique – Design of impact evaluation: employment, welfare and social integration – Blog post – Impact evaluation: Socioeconomic integration improves when refugees and hosts are more financially secure – Research paper: Financial security, climate shock and social cohesion – Blog post – Video
Improving welfare and food security through better land productivity – Overview of access to land and its uses by refugees in the Maratane Camp and host communities in Mozambique

West and Central Africa

Self-reliance of refugees in Chad: A business case for water-spreading weirs – Report – Sudan Regional Crisis – Development Action Platform
Self-Reliance of refugee households in the Savanes region of Togo – Report (French) – Summary (English)
Reaching the poorest refugees in Niger – Evaluation of food and cash distribution

Multidimensional poverty index

A group of women sit down together on stairs in front of a house.

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Measuring Impact Initiative

Developed with the World Bank and Member States, the initiative provides reports and data dashboards estimating the global cost of refugee inclusion in education and health systems, and of meeting refugees’ subsistence needs.

Access reports and dashboards

Text and media 22

Global Data Services

We work with data and statistics, which help us to understand important information to save, protect and improve lives. A microdata library provides data collected through census, registration and administrative exercises and surveys.

Access the UNHCR Data page