Enhancing cooperation for R2P in situations of internal displacement in Africa

This second volume in our series on ‘Internal Displacement in a Changing World Order’ considers whether the global policy framework of the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) adequately addresses the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The GCR was designed by states participating in the Formal Consultations hosted by UNHCR to be limited to 1951 Convention refugees. Nevertheless, there are some express references in the GCR to internally displaced persons and forced internal displacement. Furthermore, the nature of acute crises globally is that in many instances there is both cross-border and internal displacement within one state with mixed populations, such that the GCR’s explicit inclusion of ‘host communities’ incorporates IDPs in the GCR. This means that both expressly and implicitly, IDPs need also to be factored into GCR work ‘to operationalize the principles of burden- and responsibility-sharing to better protect and assist refugees and support host countries and communities’.

The drastic funding cuts undertaken by the major donors in 2025 have forced the humanitarian sector into ‘hyper prioritisation’, resulting into its retreat from all activities deemed as non-essential to ensuring immediate survival. This first volume in our series on ‘Internal Displacement in a Changing World Order’ considers the far-reaching consequences that such ‘hyper prioritisation’ carries for the lives of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in humanitarian crises. The analysis shows that, besides already costing lives, hyper prioritisation risks pushing more people into starvation, disease, missed educational opportunities, and shattered livelihoods, thus eroding IDPs’ prospects to embark on the path towards self-reliance and solutions. It concludes by suggesting the need for humanitarian action to be guided, not by the dehumanising exercise of hyper prioritisation, but by the existing clear evidence showing the powerful potential of community-led responses.

This article explores how Market-Based Approaches can support internally displaced people by providing essential goods and food security, as well as strengthening social networks, relationships, and trust in their places of displacement. Focused on Sudan, which currently has the world's largest internal displacement crisis, this article provides evidence that Market-Based Programming (MBP) is suitable in adverse contexts. Markets often recover and resume operations before humanitarian agencies can reach affected communities. This resilience enables interventions such as supporting key businesses, using financial service providers for cash assistance, and supporting community-based mutual aid and agricultural markets. When well-managed and intentional, MBP dispels the stereotype that displaced populations are a burden on local economies. MBP not only meets the immediate needs of IDPs with speed and dignity but also supports local economies, fosters social integration, and lays the groundwork for long-term resilience and recovery amid profound uncertainty.