The Impact of COVID-19 on Conflict-Induced IDPs in Ethiopia: Government Responses and IDPs Coping Mechanisms
摘要
Internal displacement is one of the challenges Ethiopia has faced at different times and over the past few years, the country has witnessed a huge number of conflict-induced internally displaced persons (IDPs). The government of Ethiopia (GOE) has been grappling to address the plights of IDPs. However, in the middle of the government responses, the COVID-19 pandemic, another disaster, was identified in December 2019 in Wuhan city of China, and quickly became a global challenge. The pandemic has transmitted rapidly and affected most countries including Ethiopia. This chapter has employed a mix of doctrinal and qualitative research methods and attempted to assess the impact of COVID-19 on conflict-induced IDPs in Ethiopia, examining the response, and IDPs coping mechanisms. The study found that, unlike other individuals, IDPs were more vulnerable to the pandemic. The safety guidelines to prevent and suppress the spread of COVID-19 such as wearing masks, washing, and social and physical distancing seem not feasible and unattainable for IDPs. Thus, the IDPs were forced to engage in negative coping mechanisms. Therefore, the government and humanitarian organizations should give due attention to the predicaments of conflict-induced IDPs and comprehensive COVID-19 responses.