New momentum for efforts to address internal displacement

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that 48 million people are internally displaced :  as a resultat of violence and conflict.

‘The number of internally displaced people is currently at a record high and has been rising steadily in recent years. Many of these people are living under extremely difficult conditions. Norway has long been a strong advocate in the UN of the need to improve protection for internally displaced people and find solutions. We were one of countries behind the initiative to establish the High-level Panel on Internal Displacement,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

Today, the UN presented its report ‘Shining a Light on Internal Displacement – A vision for the future’.

‘Situations where people are forced to flee from their homes have generated  long-lasting humanitarian crises. It is important to follow up the report so that we can achieve better solutions to the major challenges related to internal displacement. The Norwegian Government has significantly increased its support to the UN Refugee Agency and others in recent years,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres established the High-level Panel on Internal Displacement in autumn 2019 in response to an initiative from Norway and several other countries, including some that have large numbers of internally displaced people.

‘A high number of displaced people can lead to unrest and conflict. It places additional pressure on resources as well as on housing, health services, education and jobs. The development assistance sector must actively seek ways to follow up the recommendations of this report,’ said Minister of International Development Dag-Inge Ulstein.

The report presented today was drawn up by a High-level Panel comprised of eight members, including representatives of countries affected by displacement. The panel is co-chaired by Federica Mogherini, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Donald Kaberuka, former President of the African Development Bank.

The aim of the report is to identify concrete recommendations on how to better prevent, respond and achieve solutions to the global internal displacement crisis. The report concludes an 18-month process during which the High-level Panel carried out extensive consultations both with the authorities and with internally displaced people. The Panel has also received more than one hundred written submissions from various stakeholders.

For more information, see here.