Everyday justice for the internally displaced in a context of fragility: The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Abstract

Bukavu is a rapidly growing city in the conflict-affected east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is home to large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs). This article looks at these IDPs and explores the strategies they use to claim their rights and settle their everyday disputes. The article is based on a sociolegal research project for which data collection took place between May 2015 and June 2016. The research found that hardly any assistance is provided to IDPs in Bukavu and both state and non-state actors have limited knowledge on their situation. Our data show that the mobilization of personal connections is key for IDPs to find justice, either directly or indirectly. Helping IDPs to strengthen their social networks in town could be a strategy for policy makers and practitioners to improve IDP's access to justice and to better respect their rights.