Cross-Regional Forum on Implementing Laws and Policies on Internal Displacement

Establishing adequate legal, policy and institutional frameworks in line with international and regional standards is an essential step toward addressing and resolving internal displacement effectively. Despite sustained progress on the development and adoption of national (and sub-national) instruments to protect and assist IDPs and support solutions for them, successful implementation remains a key challenge in many contexts.

To meet this challenge, the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons and UNHCR, in collaboration with the IDP Protection Expert Group (IPEG), partnered with the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo, Italy, to convene a Cross-Regional Forum on Implementing Laws and Policies on Internal Displacement.

The Forum participants included government officials from multiple regions of the world, as well as expert facilitators, who moderated a four-day peer-to-peer exchange, led by the Special Rapporteur. The goal of the format was to bring forward the unique benefits that are gained when States facing internal displacement challenges can share knowledge and learn from each other. The Forum took place under Chatham House rules, so the following is a summary of key takeaways that participants agreed to share publicly, with an emphasis on showcasing good practices.

The first four sessions focused on general normative and institutional aspects of implementing laws, policies and strategies on internal displacement while the second part of the forum focused on overcoming the challenges of preventing, addressing and resolving internal displacement.