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COMMITTEE: Special Conference
QUESTION OF: Developing Responses to Minimize Internally Displaced Persons in
Areas Affected by Natural Disasters
SUBMITTED BY: Canada
THE SPECIAL CONFERENCE,
Approving the Handbook for the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) of
the Global Protection Cluster Working Group Handbook, that seeks to “improve
understanding of the particular protection risks faced by internally displaced women,
men, boys and girls of various backgrounds (…) provide guidance on how to prevent
and respond to the protection risks faced by IDPs through a range of different
activities (…) enhance staff skills for carrying out protection work (…) promote a
consistent and well-coordinated protection response in different operations”,
Bearing in mind that natural disasters are beyond the capacity of any state to prevent
but their impact on the community can be mitigate and also, if the area affected is on
a state’s soil then the protection of Internally Displaced Persons is a responsibility that
falls primarily on national authorities,
Recognizing the Intern-Agency standing Committee Operational Guidelines on the
Protection of Persons in Situations of Natural Disasters, which states that States have
the primary duty and responsibility to provide assistance and protection to persons
affected by natural disasters (…) Protection activities should be undertaken and
prioritized on the basis of identified needs of affected persons (...) assessed on the
basis of non-discriminatory and objective criteria, and in consultation with the
affected population”,
Affirming the Hyogo Declaration adopted by the World Conference on Disaster
Reduction in January 2005, which declares to build upon international commitments
and frameworks to improve disaster reduction activities, stating that disaster relief
management needs addressing to enable and strengthen nations' sustainable
development,
Guided by the 1998 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement recognized by
Members States as a key international framework outlining the rights of IDPs, in
particular Principal 7 which states that “authorities undertaking such displacement
shall ensure, to the greatest practicable extent, that proper accommodation is provided
to the displaced persons, that such displacements are effected in satisfactory
conditions of safety, nutrition, health and hygiene, and that members of the same
family are not separated”,
Confident with resolution 14/36 adopted by the Human Rights Council addressing the
complex issue of internal displacement, which states that the Special Rapporteur on
human rights of internally displaced persons to continue dialogue with governments
and all intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned with
analyzing responses to minimize IDPs,
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Reaffirming the Framework for National Responsibility presented by the
Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced
Persons in 2005, recognizing internal displacement is a problem that needs to be
addressed in all its aspects, including attending the IDP`s needs for food, clean water,
shelter, medical care and all other basic humanitarian assistance, however also
requires an integrated approach that effectively deals with protection and assistance
concerns,
Further recalling the Emergency Management Act passed by the Government of
Canada with the consent of the Senate and House of Commons in 2007, purposed to
ensure the provision of emergency and disaster relief, participate in international
emergency management activities, and establishing programs and other measures
respecting the testing and implementation of emergency management plans,
Deeply concerned with the difficult economic and social condition of IDPs, as many
often lose all their belongings in the midst of natural disaster, and struggle finding new
jobs to generate income and with reintegrating into society, factors that increase the
time they are internally displaced for, stressing the risk extreme poverty and socioeconomic exclusion IDPs are exposed to,
1.Calls upon all Member States to revise responses to manage situations causing
internal displacement with the purpose of:
a) Improving the efficiency of responding to internal displacement to minimize
long term IDPs,
b) Limit the damage natural disasters have on private property and communities
as a whole,
c) Ensure the protection of the rights of IDPs during displacement and the
provision of objective assistance to those in need;
2. Emphasizes the need to take preventative steps that include, but may not be limited
to:
a) Early warning by developing effective natural disaster warning systems to
predict the occurrence of natural disasters, including but not limited to:
earthquake detectors, meteorological predictions of hurricanes and violent
storms, other environment inducing displacement causes,
b) Disaster contingency planning,
c) Governmental programs purposed to devise durable solutions,
d) Development of disaster reduction strategies such as building homes more
solidly to withstand earthquakes;
3.Notes that not all impacts of natural disasters can be prevented and therefore Member
States should take preparative steps that include but may not be limited to:
a) Ensure habitable housing implying adequate shelter, food, access to clean
water, medical care and security,
b) Development of more effective evacuation procedures in areas prone to
natural disasters,
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c) Establishment of IDP camps to reduce the occurrence of spontaneous
camps that lack rigorous organization and can lead to unsuccessful
resettlement of IDPs;
4. Recommends that the assistance given by trained staff members is familiar with
core concepts of how to help IDPs, is specific to the circumstances and meets the
individual needs of the IDPs;
5. Proposes social reintegration projects for IDPs to limit forced evictions from camps
by:
a) Mechanisms to claim compensation and property and land restitution,
b) Aid in relocation and re-establishing of livelihoods elsewhere if the area
becomes a “security zone” or a “exclusion zone”,
c) Allowing of voluntary resettlement;
6. Urges Member States to strengthen legislation to facilitate legal support through the
adoption of specific national laws and policies to guarantee the rights of the displaced,
and the procuring of necessary legal documentation without unreasonable
requirements in case of their loss during the displacement;
7.Considers that upon thorough analysis of environmental conditions from both
international and national professionals, areas chronically vulnerable to disaster
should be declared “security zones” or “exclusion zones” by the national authorities
for public safety;
8. Encourages the State’s effective use of mass media, from national television to
more accessible forms such as distribution of free leaflets to run public information
campaigns with the purpose of:
a) Counteracting ethnic, racial and ideological stigmas IDPs are often subjected
to,
b) Raising awareness about procedures in place for evacuation during natural
disasters and steps people should take to be safe during natural disasters;
9.Endorses the creation of the UNNDC (United Nations Natural Disaster Committee),
which will deal with questions such as, but not limited to:
a) the organisation of shelter, food, sanitation and hygiene centers and other vital
supplies, donated by other member-states and the UN, for more effective,
better and faster deploying of those needs,
b) supporting international effort to shelter IDPs, by creating a programme for
the normalization of communities hosting IDPs,
c) organising the rebuilding and reestablishment of infrastructures affected by the
natural disaster with the aid of other willing member-states;
10. Requests that the Member States display a positive view on the issues and show
acceptance of international collaboration and assistance from Member States,
allowing international humanitarian organization to offer services to accommodate the
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needs of the IDPs, without withholding consent as a gesture of national responsibility
through:
a) Continuation of effective dialogue with regional and international organization
on minimizing internal displacement persons,
b) Contributing to the provision of resources and expertise to assist affected
countries and in particular developing countries;
11. Takes note of the fact that natural disasters can vary in their impact based on the
geographical position of each State and therefore the reviewing of current responses
to IDPs and integration of new programs will happen at a different pace, one that is
possible to suit the countries` specific needs and circumstances;
12. Asks for measures to be taken for the protection of those making their homes in
various encampments because of the high risk rates, especially the women and children,
who have history of being taken advantage of in these camps, through:
a) Regular security patrols throughout the encampments,
b) Weekly checks by the security to make sure everyone is accounted for and
security at the entrance to these camps to take down names and the numbers of
people admitted;
13. Requests the registration of children separated from their families to ensure the
maximum chances of tracing, finding, and reuniting them with their families as well as
measures to ensure the children’s safety and introduction into foster care or other
arrangements that guarantee their wellbeing if reunification is found to be impossible;
14. Solemnly Affirms each Member State to enact policies included in the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, especially those related to the
seven global targets and the four priorities for action included in this framework;
15. Decides to remain actively seized upon this matter.