WHAT IS INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT?

Internally displaced persons (or IDPs) can be understood as:

 

Quote icon persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border. Quote icon
Sudan. Internally displaced in Um Rakuba 2023 © UNHCR/Ala Kheir

Sudan. Internally displaced in Um Rakuba 2023 © UNHCR/Ala Kheir

This description of IDPs is taken from the main global framework on IDP assistance and protection: the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which were created within the United Nations system. The 30 guiding principles on how IDPs must be treated that are contained in this document set out the pertinent standards that States, governments, humanitarian organisations, armed groups and other entities should follow.

But tens of millions of people remain internally displaced in today’s world, with numbers reaching historic highs. Internal displacement is thus a major humanitarian, development and social justice challenge. The varied and intersecting nature of the drivers of internal displacement – including conflict, generalised violence, disasters, climate change, development projects and governance failures – can make internal displacement a complex challenge that is difficult to surmout.

Internal displacement takes place within countries, which differentiates it from refugee movements that take place across borders. Disaster displacement is documented all across the world. Conflict-driven internal displacement, by contrast, occurs mainly in the developing countries where conflict or generalised violence now cluster. Globally, attention to IDPs is minimal in comparison with that accorded to refugees and international migrants.

LATEST RESOURCES

By Jane McAdam | Jul 24, 2025
The International Court of Justice’s long-awaited Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change embeds important principles of international human rights law. It confirms that people may be entitled to international protection – that is, as refugees or beneficiaries of complementary protection – where the effects of climate change expose them to life-threatening risks. It also affirms that even if a State’s population and territory were to decline on account of sea-level rise, the State would continue to exist. Finally, by affirming the binding obligations of climate change treaties and the obligation of States to cooperate in the context of climate change, the Advisory Opinion potentially strengthens the case for more climate adaptation and loss and damage funding, including to support people to stay in place or to move elsewhere in a safe and dignified manner.

SOLUTIONS

Solutions’ to internal displacement are said to be achieved only when IDPs overcome the negative effects of their displacement.

This can happen in the context of a voluntary return to their original homes, local integration in the site where they are now living or resettlement/relocation to some other place in the country. Although in some countries IDPs live in camps, the majority live self-settled in host communities in urban and rural areas.

IDP TRAINING

Our free course in ‘Internal Displacement, Conflict and Protection’

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IDRP

Internal Displacement Research Programme

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HIDN

Health and Internal Displacement Network

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GENIDA

Global Engagement
Network on Internal Displacement in Africa

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LANID

Latin American Network on Internal Displacement

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MERNID

Middle East Research Network on Internal Displacement

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IDP TRAINING

Our free course in ‘Internal Displacement, Conflict and Protection’

Find out more

IDRP

Internal Displacement Research Programme

Find out more

HIDN

Health and Internal Displacement Network

Find out more

GENIDA

Global Engagement
Network on Internal Displacement in Africa

Find out more

LANID

Latin American Network on Internal Displacement

Find out more

MERNID

Middle East Research Network on Internal Displacement

Find out more

LATEST NEWS

EVENTS

Internal displacement in the context of organized criminal activity – Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
By United Nations Human Rights | Jun 27, 2025
A new report by the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur, examines the phenomenon of internal displacement in the context of organised criminal activity. Experts at the Refugee Law Initiative's Internal Displacement Research Programme provided submissions to the report. Their submissions were subsequently published as a collection by Researching Internal Displacement.
The Global Report on Law and Policy on Internal Displacement: Implementing National Responsibility 2025
By UNHCR | Jun 21, 2025
UNHCR’s Global Report on Law and Policy on Internal Displacement: Implementing National Responsibility 2025 is now available in English, Spanish and French, with the Arabic version available soon. Coordinated, researched and drafted by Martina Caterina (UNHCR, Division of International Protection) and Prof. David Cantor (University of London, Director of the Refugee Law Initiative), the report presents an overview – global and by region - of key legal and policy instruments and developments related to prevention, protection and solutions for IDPs. The report assesses how the response to internal displacement is framed by domestic law and policy on internal displacement and examines the institutional response in selected countries.