Working and discussion papersAugust 2019Sherine El Taraboulsi-McCarthy and Ghada Al-Bayati with Victoria Metcalfe-Hough and Sarah AdamczykAmazigh women line up at the funeral for a young Libyan killed while fleeing to Tataouine, Tunisia in 2011. Photo: MagharebiaSince the uprisings across the Arab world in 2011, Libya has been locked in an escalating political and security crisis that has resulted in the breakdown of its state institutions, widespread violence and criminality. The initial uprising quickly evolved into a protracted and dynamic armed conflict.The UN estimates that more than 1.6 million people have been directly affected, including hundreds of thousands who have been forcibly displaced from their homes, either within Libya itself or across the border in Tunisia. Displaced populations are acutely vulnerable to threats from targeted or generalised violence and face challenges in accessing public services and adequate shelter. Protection and assistance for these vulnerable people has been inadequate.This paper focuses on the situation of Libyans displaced since 2011, both within Libya itself and in Tunisia. While the legal frameworks governing their rights during displacement differ, many of the drivers of their displacement are shared, and they face similar threats to their physical, legal and material safety. The paper explores these threats, and what strategies displaced Libyans have adopted to protect themselves. It considers the local capacities and social capital displaced individuals have drawn on to mitigate threats, including in relation to family, tribal or other affiliations.Read the research Protection of displaced Libyans: risks, responses and border dynamicsDocumentpdfRelated Twenty years of protection of civilians at the UN Security CouncilExploring the current state of the protection of civilians in armed conflict agenda and proposing steps to help close the gap between law and action.Briefing papers21 May 2019Peacebuilding in Libya: cross-border transactions and the civil society landscapeEfforts to contain and resolve the conflict in Libya must employ a regional lens and take into consideration the role of cross-border transactions.Briefing papers1 August 2016Migration in Libya: transit zone or final destination?This policy brief examines migration to and through Libya, exploring migrant’s motivations, journeys, challenges and support systems.Briefing papers14 April 2016See more:civilian security and protectiondisplacementconflict and violencehumanitarianTunisiaLibyan Arab JamahiriyaMiddle East and North Africa