The Lived Experiences of Conflict-Induced Internally Displaced Women in Debre Tabor City, Ethiopia, Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Conflict-induced internal displacement is a pressing humanitarian crisis globally with women disproportionately affected by its multifaceted consequences. In Ethiopia, armed conflict has caused widespread displacement, yet limited research has focused specifically on the lived experiences of internally displaced women. This study aimed to explore the personal and collective experiences of conflict-induced internally displaced women in Debre Tabor City, emphasizing their everyday challenges, coping mechanisms, and encounters with institutional responses . Using qualitative phenomenological approach, data were gathered through interviews and FGDs with purposively selected women who were displaced due to armed conflict. Socially, thematic analysis of the data revealed three major themes. First, under lived experiences of displacement, participants reported profound economic hardships, housing insecurity, social dislocation, and sever emotional and psychological distress. Second, in relation to coping mechanism and resilience strategies, the women demonstrated remarkable resilience social networks, faith-based activities, mutual support systems, and small-scale economic activities. Finally, the theme of institutional and humanitarian responses highlighted a significant gap in gender-sensitive support, with participants expressing dissatisfaction with limited, inconsistent, and often insensitive aid provided by institutional and humanitarian actors. This study implies the need for holistic intervention to mitigate the experiences of internally displaced women