The International Organization for Migration or IOM says the number of internally displaced persons or IDPs in Wau decreased by sixty-seven percent since 2017.
The report came recently after IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix team concluded biometric registration at the Wau protection of civilians and registered 13,042 IDPs as staying in the site.
IOM in a statement says the headcounts showed a steady reduction of the site’s population with temporary increase from March to May 2019 due to the ongoing conflict in Jur River that led to a new influx.
It says the overall site population continued to decline again from June 2019 onwards due to the returns to Wau town, Raja and other areas within the host community.
‘Given the well documented decline in the site’s population, it was critical to conduct this biometric registration exercise to provide our partners with updated planning figures’, said Jean-Philippe Chauzy, IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission.
‘The humanitarian community is aware that some of those who moved away continue to rely on humanitarian service provision and partners are working on solutions that best address these needs in their current locations of return or displacement’, the official added.
‘Biometric registration supports accountable humanitarian responses by providing accurate planning figures and ensuring the intended beneficiaries receive assistance during distributions, said Debora Gonzalez, IOM South Sudan’s team coordinator.
She added that ‘such beneficiary records also support improved targeting to ensure special needs are recognized and can be catered for’.