Africa has experienced civil wars, internal strife, ethnic clashes, genocides and other humanitarian emergencies which have generated millions of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Cognisant of the high incidence of human rights violations, exponential growth in the number of IDPs and a hike in their generalised vulnerability the protection of IDPs becomes paramount. Towards this end, the concept of the responsibility to protect (R2P) is one of the responses that has been mooted for protection of IDPs. The African Union through its Constitutive Act has committed itself to the protection of IDPs by pledging to intervene in circumstances of egregious violations of human rights. This article critically assesses how cooperation towards R2P can assist in protecting IDPs.
By Ryan Mitra | Jun 24, 2026
This insightful blog examines how internally displaced persons (IDPs) in India are disenfranchised from voting and participating fully in civic life. Widespread failure to recognise people’s displacement status and circumstances shifts many of the burdens of proving identity, residence and voter eligibility onto the shoulders of already traumatised people. IDPs fleeing disasters, conflict or communal violence may have lost their homes and documentation, crossed state boundaries and taken refuge in regions where their native languages are not spoken. Digital access challenges and bureaucratic inefficiencies place the burden of administrative adaptation on those least able to bear it. Too many IDPs are thereby excluded from voter lists.
Though India records large numbers of new disaster displacements every year, it does not maintain a consolidated national displacement database. Such a database, the author argues, would ensure the voting and other rights of internally displaced persons are protected while providing a much-needed tool for monitoring whether IDPs are progressing toward durable solutions.