This paper discusses how targeted interventions, either at the local or sectoral level, may shape migration and forced displacement dynamics. To assess the channels through which public policies and development initiatives potentially affect human mobility intentions and outcomes, the paper first focuses on the many—and sometimes counterintuitive—reasons why people leave their countries of origin. The drivers of both ‘voluntary’ migration and forced displacement span all dimensions of people’s lives, including economic, social, political and environmental ones. The paper then analyses the empirical evidence on the observed impact of targeted interventions on the propensity to move, either by choice or by force. The literature on the consequences of local and sectoral interventions on the behaviour of individuals in terms of human mobility remains limited, and new approaches are needed to capture more consistently the different channels of transmission. The paper thus offers potential research avenues and methodological options for better understanding of how targeted interventions can contribute to mitigating the adverse drivers of irregular migration and forced displacement.