Second-year PhD scholar under the IDRC Research Chair on Forced Displacement in Anglophone West Africa, Ms. Gifty Sarkodie Amponsah, presented a conference paper examining inequalities in access to health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) among displaced persons in Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Titled “From Displacement to Deprivation: Inequalities in Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Access among Displaced Persons in Ghana and Sierra Leone”, the paper was presented at the international conference on forced displacement held in Saint-Louis, Senegal, from 26–28 March 2026 under the theme “Rethinking Forced Displacement in Africa”.
The presentation drew attention to the ways displacement can deepen existing inequalities in access to essential services, particularly health and WASH facilities. By focusing on the experiences of displaced populations in Ghana and Sierra Leone, the paper highlighted the conditions that shape access to basic services and the implications for the wellbeing and dignity of displaced persons.
Ms Amponsah’s contribution to the conference extended beyond her paper presentation. She also participated in a panel discussion, engaging other scholars and practitioners on emerging issues in forced displacement and contributing perspectives from her research and field experience.
As a scholar with the IDRC Research Chair on Forced Displacement in Anglophone West Africa, Ms Amponsah has also been actively involved in the Chair’s research activities. She participated in the project’s data collection exercises in Ghana and Sierra Leone, gaining first-hand experience of the conditions and experiences of displaced populations. Her involvement also included stakeholder engagements with relevant actors working on displacement and related issues, providing an opportunity to engage with perspectives from institutions and practitioners involved in responding to the needs of displaced communities.
These research and field engagements have informed her academic work and contributed to her understanding of the relationship between forced displacement, access to essential services and inequality. The experience also reflects the Chair’s approach to developing research capacity through the active involvement of scholars in field research, stakeholder engagement and knowledge dissemination.
Her participation in the Saint-Louis conference provided an opportunity to share emerging findings from her research with an international audience while receiving feedback and engaging with scholars working on related questions across Africa.
The conference also offered opportunities for networking and intellectual exchange, allowing Ms Amponsah to connect with researchers and practitioners working on forced displacement, health, WASH and related areas. Her participation in both the panel and paper presentation further contributed to the broader objective of placing evidence from African contexts at the centre of conversations on forced displacement.
For Ms. Amponsah, the conference represented another important step in her development as an emerging researcher in the field of forced displacement. Her presentation, panel contribution and involvement in the Chair’s field research demonstrate the value of linking doctoral research with ongoing research projects and opportunities for scholarly engagement.
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