Innovative Sample Designs for Studies of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Abstract

With record numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons in the world, it is more important than ever that policy makers, aid organizations, and advocacy groups have access to high-quality data about these vulnerable populations. However, refugee and internally-displaced persons settlements pose unique challenges to the selection of probability samples. These settlements can grow quickly, and registers often are not available or not up-to-date. Refugees who live in communities also are difficult to reach with a probability sample because they are hard to identify, contact, and interview. Drawing on recent data collection experiences, this chapter describes the sample designs that can address such challenges. We argue that the best sampling techniques are those that minimize interviewer discretion and contain built-in opportunities for verifying interviewer performance.