Leadership Effectiveness in the Care of Internally Displaced Persons’ and Camps in Africa

Abstract

The Paper discusses how leadership effectiveness can improve the care of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and management of camps in Africa, based on the recent surge in the number of displacements, resulting from insurgency, militant activities, natural disasters and several conflict-related displacements and the uncoordinated camp structure. This cross-sectional descriptive study adopted focus group discussion, structured interview and key informants interview (KII) guides, to undertake two stages of study, being situation analysis in selected IDPs camps on management practices; and using the knowledge gathered to formulate a conceptual framework—four-phased model of an IDP’s transition to align survival strategies to social need, viz: 1) After-Shock (IDP-phase-1): This is the immediate period after the occurrence of the event, characterised by a mixture of the emotion of gratitude for survival. 2) Stabilisation (IDP-phase-2): The phase of settlement into a camp routine with a predictable system of meeting basic needs. 3) Empowerment (IDP-phase-3): The stage of acquisition of vocational and necessary management skills towards economic independence; and 4) Re-integration (Post-IDP-phase): The phase of coordinated exit from the camp and reintegration into the society as self-sustaining individuals. It concludes that efficiency in the care of IDPs in camps is weak. The recommendation is to improve camp management leadership effectiveness to strengthen IDP response, to facilitate the protection of their rights while allowing a systematic exit of IDPs instead of creating an IDP conundrum.