Responding to Internal Displacement: Progress and Challenges

The majority of the world’s displaced people live within the borders of their own countries. While people who cross an international border to seek safety are protected by a range of norms and laws, internally displaced people (IDPs) are most often not. And they receive far less international attention and assistance than other displaced groups. 

Amidst renewed attention at the UN, including the Secretary-General’s High Level Panel and Action Agenda, what are some of the lessons in global IDP response? How can the world better grapple with climate-induced internal displacement and urbanization? What can we learn from institutional responses like the Kampala Convention? And what must be done to meaningfully include internally displaced leaders and groups in conversations about solutions?

Panelists explored the progress and challenges of the global IDP response and potential solutions. An audience Q&A followed. This event was held virtually on November 30, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET.

Moderator:

Sarah Miller, Refugees International

Panelists:

William S. Chemaly, United Nations Senior Advisor, Office of the Special Adviser on Solutions to Internal Displacement

Abdullahi Halakhe, Senior Advocate for East and Southern Africa, Refugees International

Elizabeth Ferris, Director, Institute for the Study of International Migration, Georgetown University

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Featured Image: A mother and her young children at an IDP site in northern Ethiopia. Photo by Refugees International.