A Assessment of Internally Displaced Persons Access to Housing in some selected towns in Oromia: A Case Study in Adama, Batu, Bishan Gurracha and Shashamanne

Abstract

The issue of internally displaced persons access to housing, as well as other important related human rights like the right to work, safety, a healthy environment, education, and social security, needs to be addressed by the government. However, several research papers indicate that the government did not pay close attention to the issues of internally displaced persons. This research article assessed and examined access to housing and other important related human rights like right to work, safety and healthy environment, education, and social security post settlement based on international human rights laws that recognize access to housing signed and ratified by Ethiopia, including the grand constitution and other subordinate laws. Descriptive qualitative research design was employed to address the issues of housing and other important related human rights in the study areas. Descriptive qualitative research was used to analyse the gathered data. Both primary and secondary sources of data were used to get comprehensive information. Purposive sampling was employed to select the sources of data and tools of data gathering and analysing. The primary source of data ranges from in-depth interview to focus group discussion. The finding of the study disclosed that internally displaced persons (here after, IDPs) suffered different problems with respect to access to housing, shelter and others related rights. Some of the important problems are forceful eviction by the government body, frequent attacks by non-displaced community with support of local authorities, denial of effective and rapid legal remedies mainly in case of forced evictions. Generally the finding disclosed that the government instead of respecting, protecting and fulfilling rights of IDPs was the main actor in creating problems the IDPs suffered. Based on the findings, there should be strong institutions including non-state actors that work together to enforce international and national human rights laws to address problems of IDPs access to housing and other related human rights. The government should devise adequate policies, sufficient legal and institutional frameworks to protect IDPs. Further, research on protection of IDPs is necessary to have due insight into the issue.