Niger — Tahoua, Tillaberi Stability Index Report 2 (August 2022)

The complex crisis in the Liptako Gourma region of the Central Sahel, spanning Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, continues to experience insecurity that triggered significant population displacement in the three bordering countries. In Niger, the volatile security situation critically impacted the stability of communities in the regions of Tahoua and Tillaberi, creating a complex humanitarian emergency marked by violence from non-state armed groups (NSAGs), lack of livelihood opportunities and communal tensions over scarce resources exacerbated by climate change. The protracted crisis propelled thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from border countries. Despite the deterioration of the security situation, there is evidence that some IDPs are returning to their communities of origin. As such, humanitarian and development interventions targeting conflict-affected communities remains vital. In order to find durable solutions for internal displacement — whether through return to communities of origin, local integration, or relocation — and to prevent new displacements in the region, it is critical to understand the relative levels of stability in locations hosting returnees or displaced populations. Therefore, IOM has launched the Stability Index (SI) to evaluate the stability of areas hosting returnees or displaced populations. The SI seeks to understand which factors influence a location's stability, which can inform priority programmatic interventions along the humanitarian, peace and development nexus in order to strengthen the resilience and stability and prevent future forced displacements. This report presents the results of Stability Index assessments in Tahoua and Tillaberi regions of Niger.