Including the Excluded: Advancing Data on Refugees, IDPs, and Stateless Persons

Read about the commitment “Strengthening the inclusion of refugees, IDPs, and stateless persons on national statistics for higher quality and more comparable data” by EGRISS here.

At the heart of inclusive development lies inclusive data. To ensure that forcibly displaced and stateless populations are visible in national statistics and reflected in policy, the Expert Group on Refugee, IDP and Statelessness Statistics (EGRISS) has committed to advancing high-quality and comparable data on refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and stateless persons. As part of the Commit to Data initiative, EGRISS has made significant strides in 2024 and 2025 through global advocacy, capacity building, and technical support.

Elevating Inclusion on the Global Stage

Over the past year, EGRISS has organized and participated in key events to promote the implementation of the International Recommendations on Refugee Statistics (IRRS), IDP Statistics (IRIS), and Statelessness Statistics (IROSS):

On June 17, EGRISS hosted a session at the 4th International Forum on Migration Statistics titled “Don’t forget migration within borders”, focused on strengthening data on IDPs using the IRIS framework. Presentation slides are available online.
On June 16, they co-hosted a session on “Migration and Displacement: Distinct but Aligned Statistical Frameworks” implemented through regional cooperation. Read the summary.
On May 20, EGRISS leadership spoke at a webinar on the Statistical Inclusion of Forcibly Displaced and Stateless Persons, highlighting their role in shaping inclusive socio-economic policies.
From May 6–8, EGRISS co-organized the 4th African School on Migration Statistics, which brought together statisticians and practitioners to strengthen migration data systems across the continent.
In March, EGRISS actively participated in the 56th Session of the UN Statistical Commission, hosting its annual High-Level Steering Committee and a side event on shaping future migration statistics.
In November 2024, EGRISS’ Regional Task Team for Western Asia co-organized a regional workshop on implementing international recommendations for refugees, IDPs, and stateless persons. Full meeting report (English) and presentation materials are available.

Looking Ahead

On October 8, 2025, EGRISS will participate in a session at the 65th World Statistics Congress titled “Including the Excluded – Innovations for Mainstreaming Vulnerable Groups in Strategies for Statistics.” This marks another opportunity to share lessons learned and innovations that bring forcibly displaced populations into focus through better data.

EGRISS’ commitment is clear: data systems must reflect everyone—including those most often left out. By strengthening standards, sharing tools, and building capacity, they are helping national statistical systems around the world better measure displacement and statelessness and inform more inclusive policies.