Sudan — COVID-19 Socio-Economic Impact on Migrant, IDP and Returnee Communities Pilot Study

As part of a larger Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional study, DTM Sudan interviewed 27 key informants across eight localities in West Darfur to pilot data collection on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic on mobile populations since the lifting of mobility restriction measures. The mobile populations targeted include migrant (foreign national), IDP and returnee communities who rely on mobility to maintain their livelihoods. Data collection was conducted in December 2020 through direct interviews with key informants (89% male and 11% female), comprising community representatives, local authorities and religious leaders.

As an initial analysis, this report serves to depict at the locality-level the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mobile populations through six main pillars, namely, (1) protecting health services and systems during the crisis (2) social protection and access to basic services (3) economic response and recovery (4) macroeconomic response and multilateral collaboration (5) social cohesion and community resilience and (6) mobility. Drawing on lessons learned from this pilot study, DTM will expand its data collection to cover additional states across the country in 2021.