The Impact of Forced Migration on Marital Life in Chad

Civil war in Chad in the 1990shad a major impact on the family life of large numbers of people who were internally displaced or sought refuge in exile. This article examines the effect of these forced migrations on marriage, in particular the transition from monogamy to divorce or bigamy. It analyses data collected in N'Djamena in 1993–1994. The higher risk of divorce among internally displaced persons compared to that of refugees suggests that they were more vulnerable from a demographic perspective, and that their marital survival strategies may have been less successful. It is suggested that aid agencies should increase assistance given to internally displaced people because they are more at risk. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.