More than 7,000 people have fled their homes in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province since late September due to a surge in attacks by non-state armed groups, according to data released Tuesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The latest figures show that women and children make up nearly 80 percent of those newly displaced.
Mozambique is facing a neglected crisis where humanitarian needs remain high. An estimated 2.4 million people nationwide require urgent humanitarian assistance to cope with the effects of conflict, cyclones, and drought. This includes around 1.3 million people in Cabo Delgado and neighboring Niassa and Nampula provinces.
In a statement, IOM warned that ongoing insecurity in Cabo Delgado is forcing families to flee, putting increased pressure on host communities that are already struggling with limited resources. Many people are forced to move multiple times as they seek safety, leaving them highly vulnerable.
“More families are seeking safety in communities that are already hosting people displaced by violence. Nearly eight in ten are women and children,” said Dana Graber Ladek, IOM Chief of Mission in Mozambique.
“These communities need help with food, shelter and healthcare. Without timely support, life could get much harder for displaced families and the people hosting them.”
IOM reported that many men have stayed behind to maintain their livelihoods, putting themselves at risk. Meanwhile, women and children are bearing the brunt of displacement. The majority of newly arrived families are staying with host communities, straining local services and household resources.
According to IOM's assessment, food is the most urgent need for 88 percent of those surveyed, followed by shelter (71 percent) and healthcare (44 percent). Families also reported significant protection concerns.
The UN organization warned that, without a clear indication of when families can safely return home, needs are growing. Sustained support is needed to help newly displaced people access essential services and ease the strain on host communities.
Internal displacement in Mozambique is primarily driven by conflict in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula but is also exacerbated by severe, climate-related events, including cyclones, floods, and droughts.
Since 2017, the conflict in Cabo Delgado and its spillover into neighboring provinces, as well as recurrent climate-related disasters, have displaced approximately 1.4 million people within Mozambique.
While more than 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their districts of origin, over 600,000 people remain displaced across the country. As of November 2026, Cabo Delgado was hosting more than 450,000 of those displaced individuals.
Many returnees have not been able to return to their original homes and continue to face precarious living conditions. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, lacking access to basic services and facing protection risks.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), 1.84 million people across the country are currently experiencing crisis (IPC Phase 3) or emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of food insecurity and urgently need assistance. It is estimated that 254,000 people currently experience IPC Phase 4 conditions.
Meanwhile, more than 100,000 children under five years old are believed to suffer from acute malnutrition.
Forecasts indicating an El Niño-driven drought suggest that the upcoming harvest in southern and central Mozambique is at risk, where communities are still recovering from flooding and displacement. As they run out of food, water, and seeds, another failed harvest could push them deeper into hunger.
Funding gaps continue to hinder the humanitarian response. As of November 2026, the 2026 Mozambique Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), which targets 1.7 million of the most vulnerable people, is only 43 percent funded.