Essentials of Migration Management
for Policy Makers
and Practitioners
Section 2.9
Migration and Displacement
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Section 2.9 Migration and Displacement
Learning Objectives
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increase your knowledge of the issues raised by forced migration of internally
displaced persons
understand the implication of forced migration of internally displaced persons
for national migration policies
develop your ability to determine the appropriate response to internally
displaced persons in your setting
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Essentials of Migration Management
Section 2.9 Migration and Displacement
Topic Titles
Topic One: Internally Displaced Persons
Topic Two: The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
Topic Three: National Policy
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Essentials of Migration Management
Section 2.9 Migration and Displacement
Terms and Concepts
Internally displaced persons
Persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave
their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of, or in order to
avoid the effects of, armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of
human rights, or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an
internationally recognized State border
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Essentials of Migration Management
Migration and Displacement
Topic One
Internally Displaced Persons
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Topic One
Internally Displaced Persons
Important Points
1.
The definition of internally displaced persons is not a legal definition but
simply a descriptive one.
2.
Internally displaced persons have special needs precisely because of their
displacement.
3.
The purpose of paying specific attention to the plight of internally displaced
persons as such is not to confer on them a privileged status, but to ensure
that their unique needs are addressed, along with those of other groups.
(Continued)
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Essentials of Migration Management
Topic One
Internally Displaced Persons
4.
The conditions of danger and deprivation that characterize situations of
internal displacement can take a tremendous toll: the highest mortality and
malnutrition rates recorded in humanitarian emergencies this past decade
have involved internally displaced persons.
5.
Internally displaced persons frequently remain caught in areas of armed
conflict and under threat of armed attack, physical assault, sexual
violence, and forced conscription. They can be particularly vulnerable
to human trafficking. Many lack adequate food, water, shelter, and medical
care.
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Essentials of Migration Management
Topic One
Internally Displaced Persons
National and international responsibility on IDPs
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Internally displaced persons often are uprooted for the same reasons as
refugees. However, because they remain within their own countries and under
the jurisdiction of their governments, they are excluded from the
international protection granted to refugees.
•
Primary responsibility for assisting and protecting internally displaced
persons rests with their own governments. Should governments prove
unable or unwilling to discharge this responsibility, however, governments are
expected to invite or at least accept international assistance for ensuring
the welfare and security of internally displaced persons.
•
The common overriding objective of international assistance should be
to assist governments in meeting their obligations toward their own
internally displaced populations.
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Essentials of Migration Management
Migration and Displacement
Topic Two
The Guiding Principles on Internal
Displacement
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Topic Two
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
Important Points
1.
The Guiding Principles cover all phases of internal displacement:
1.
2.
3.
2.
prevention,
protection,
assistance during displacement, and during return or resettlement and
reintegration.
The Guiding Principles stipulate that people have the right not to be
arbitrarily displaced, and that they also have rights during displacement,
including:
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access to basic necessities
protection against physical attack
the right to education
the right to recover their property or receive compensation.
(Continued)
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Essentials of Migration Management
Topic Two
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
3.
The Guiding Principles emphasize that internally displaced persons continue
to have the right to seek and enjoy asylum in other countries, that is, to
become eligible for refugee status.
4.
The Guiding Principles also emphasize that certain internally displaced
persons with special needs may require particular attention
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5.
children, especially unaccompanied minors
women, especially expectant mothers, mothers with young children, and female heads of
household
persons with disabilities; and elderly persons
certain groups, including indigenous persons and pastoralists.
To facilitate understanding and practical application of the Guiding Principles,
a number of supplementary materials have been developed.
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“Handbook for Appying the Guiding Principles”
“Manual on field Practice in Internal Displacement”
“Annotations to the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement”
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Essentials of Migration Management
Migration and Displacement
Topic Three
National Policy
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Topic Three
National Policy
Important Points
1.
Raise national awareness of the plight of internally displaced persons and
of responsibilities toward them.
2.
Support training on internal displacement and the Guiding Principles for
government officials as well as local and international partner organizations
and internally displaced persons themselves.
(Continued)
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Essentials of Migration Management
Topic Three
National Policy
3.
Collect data on the numbers and conditions of internally displaced persons.
Efforts to gather data about internally displaced persons, however, can face a
number of challenges:
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4.
ensure that efforts to collect data on internally displaced populations do not in any
way jeopardize their security, protection, and freedom of movement.
There are a number of non-governmental and international agencies with
considerable experience in gathering data about displaced populations that can
assist governments in their own data collection efforts.
Create a national legal framework for upholding the rights of internally
displaced persons.
(Continued)
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Essentials of Migration Management
Topic Three
National Policy
5.
Adopt a national policy on internal displacement. Ideally, such a national
policy should cover all phases of displacement - ranging from prevention to
protection and assistance once displaced, to durable solutions - as well as
the various causes, including not only conflict but also disasters.
6.
Designate an institutional focal point for internally displaced persons.
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an existing governmental body with a relevant mandate and expertise.
designate a government body or office devoted exclusively to internally
displaced persons.
create a government committee or working group on internally displaced
persons that regularly brings together officials from the various relevant
ministries and departments.
It is essential that the government body tasked with responsibility for internally
displaced persons have a mandate for both assistance and protection.
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Essentials of Migration Management
Topic Three
National Policy
7.
Establish national human rights institutions and integrate the issue of
internal displacement into their work.
8.
Allocate adequate resources.
9.
Ensure the participation of internally displaced persons in the decisions
that affect their lives.
10.
Support durable solutions to internal displacement.. That includes:
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seeking the peaceful resolution of conflicts
providing assistance and protecting the physical safety of returning or resettling
internally displaced persons during their transit as well as upon relocation
rebuilding infrastructure in areas of return and resettlement
landmine clearance
re-establishment of the rule of law, taking measures to ensure respect for
human rights, and restoring judicial processes that can resolve property and
other disputes.
facilitate the reintegration of returned or resettled internally displaced persons
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Essentials of Migration Management
Topic Three
National Policy
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Under no circumstances should internally displaced persons be forced to
return home or resettle elsewhere in the country against their will.
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The nature of assistance to internally displaced persons can, and should,
change over time.
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Essentials of Migration Management
Last Slide
Section 2.9
Migration and Displacement
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