Invisible displacement is a growing yet under-recognized phenomenon in humanitarian settings. This report explores the structural, operational, and political factors that obscure the presence of displaced persons who remain outside formal tracking systems, such as IDPs living outside camps, unregistered returnees, nomadic groups, or those who deliberately avoid institutional engagement due to protection concerns. Their invisibility skews humanitarian planning, which can lead to inaccurate data, underfunded programs, and systemic exclusion from life-saving services.
Through a comprehensive secondary data review powered by GANNET, this report identifies critical trends, barriers, and consequences of invisible displacement. The findings emphasize the need for new displacement monitoring methodologies that are decentralized, flexible, and rooted in local contexts.
