Human mobility is inextricably related to instability and fragility, with crises becoming increasingly multi-faceted and complex. Crises often occur in contexts of chronic underdevelopment and political, social, environmental and economic instability, all of which erode resilience. With both conflict and disaster-induced displacement evident in many countries, it is expected that higher numbers of people will move in and out of situations of vulnerability, stemming from a range of drivers including climate change, instability, poverty and exploitation.

In 2021, over 229 million people will need humanitarian aid and protection¹ as a result of natural hazards, conflict, violence and other human right violations. These populations also have longer-term needs which must be addressed to enable their recovery from the impacts of crises and to strengthen their resilience to potential future risks of crisis and displacement. Many situations have become protracted and require that humanitarian and protection assistance needs are addressed at the same time as the underlying causes and long-term consequences. With recurring natural hazards in risk-prone areas, IOM proactively seeks to reduce exposure to risk and support preparedness efforts to minimise the potential humanitarian and development impacts of crises wherever possible. IOM’s comprehensive responses, which span the crisis continuum, are grounded in sound analysis and built on strong partnerships, to effectively and holistically meet the needs of populations impacted by crisis and fragility. As people of different genders, age, cultural and socio-economic status, and other vulnerabilities face different risks and are affected differently by crises, IOM ensures that these specificities are taken into account at the various phases of its response.

IOM’s crisis response work is orientated around four core objectives: Objective 1) Save lives and respond to needs through humanitarian protection and assistance; Objective 2) Address the drivers and longer-term impacts of crises and displacement through investments in recovery and crisis prevention; Objective 3) Strengthen preparedness and reduce disaster risk; Objective 4) Contribute to an evidenced-based and efficient crisis response system. IOM’s Crisis Response Plans now integrate IOM’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting both considerations across IOM’s interventions as well as dedicated interventions to reduce risks and address immediate needs and longer-term consequences. _{¹ According to the Global Humanitarian Overview to which IOM contributes}