Chaloka Beyani
Co-Director, Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement (2010 – present)
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (November 2010 - present)
BIOGRAPHY
The United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Dr. Chaloka Beyani in September 2010 as the new Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and he commenced his functions on November 1, 2010.
Beyani is a Zambian national and professor of International Law at the London School of Economics. He obtained his D.Phil from Oxford and his LL.M and LLB from the University of Zambia. Beyani has worked and published extensively in the fields of human rights, and international criminal and humanitarian law, as well as on issues relating to humanitarian assistance and population displacements, including internal displacement. Beyani has also acted as an advisor to a number of United Nations agencies and other international and regional organizations. In particular, he drafted and participated in the negotiation of a number of important international instruments including the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (Kampala Convention).
The UN Human Rights Council has charged the Special Rapporteur with engaging in coordinated advocacy in favor of the protection and respect of the human rights of IDPs; continuing and enhancing dialogues with governments as well as non-governmental organizations and other actors; strengthening the international response to internal displacement; and mainstreaming the human rights of IDPs into all relevant parts of the UN system. He was also requested to build upon the work of his predecessor in raising awareness of IDP rights issues, promoting and disseminating the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement at the national, regional and international levels, undertaking country missions, convening national and regional seminars, providing support for capacity building of non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions, and conducting policy-oriented research. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur, like all of the UN special procedures, is serviced by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
UNITED NATIONS REPORTS, STATEMENTS AND PRESS RELEASES
Country Missions and Working Visits
2012 and 2011
Mission to Sudan, November 2012
Mission to Côte d’Ivoire, July 2012
Mission to Kenya, September 2011
Mission to the Maldives, July 2011
Statements, Articles, Op-Eds, and Reports from the Special Rapporteur
- "UN Expert Calls for Better Protection for Internally Dispalced People Camps After Brutal Car Bomb Attack in Pakistan," 28 March 2013
- "Kenya Must Avoid a New Internal Displacement Crisis" - UN Expert Warns in Run Up to Elections, 26 February 2013
- "On the Occasion of the Commemoration of the Entry into Force of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa," Statement from Addis Ababa, 6 December 2012
- Media statement on the Kampala Convention, "An International Model Emerges Today in Africa to Address the Plight of Millions of Internally Displaced Persons," 6 December 2012
- "UN Experts - Myanmar Urged to End Violence and Protect Vulnerable Communities in Rakhine State," 31 October 2012
- "Millions are Internally Displacement Every Year by Conflict, Human Rights Violations and Disasters," Press release on General Assembly Report, 24 October 2012
- Report to the UN General Assembly, 10 August 2012
- "Syria: Severe Internal Displacement Crisis Due to Disregard for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law," 9 August 2012
- "Rio+20: 'No Global Goals without Accountability' - An Open Appeal From Over 20 UN Experts," 19 March 2012
- "Ethiopia: UN Experts Distrubed at Persistent Misuse of Terrorism Law to Curb Freedom of Expression," 2 February 2012
- Report to the Human Rights Council, 26 December 2011
- Statement to the United Nations General Assembly, 20 October 2011
- "Migration in Africa, An Enduring Phenomenon?," Lecture by Chaloka Beyani at the Nansen Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, 15 September 2011
- "Who Bears the Brunt of Climate Change? The poor, as usual, - UN Experts on Housing and Internal Displacement," 30 August 2011
- Annual Report of the Special Rapporteur to the UN General Assembly, 9 August 2011
- "Implementation of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Interally Displaced Persons," Statement by Chaloka Beyani to the Economic Community of West African States, 7 July 2011
- "A Human Rights-Based Approach to Protection of Environmentally Displaced Persons," Statement by Chaloka Beyani at the Nansen Conference on Climate Change and Displacement, 7 June 2011
MONTHLY LETTER FOR THE BROOKINGS-LSE PROJECT ON INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT NEWSLETTER
- May 3, 2013
- April 10, 2013
- March 12, 2013
- February 18, 2013
- January 16, 2013
- December 7, 2012
- November 2, 2012
- October 12, 2012
- September 13, 2012
- August 21, 2012
- July 20, 2012
- June 1, 2012
- May 14, 2012
- April 6, 2012
- March 2, 2012
- February 3, 2012
- January 13, 2012
- December 2, 2011
- November 11, 2011
ADDITIONAL BROOKINGS ACTIVITIES
Events:
The Role of Women in Conflict Situations (May 2, 2012)
Internally Displaced Persons and Host Communities: The Limits of Hospitality? (March 22, 2012)
Conversations about Climate Change Adaptation: Displacement, Migration and Planned Relocation (October 7, 2011)
Roundtable on Climate Change Adaptation and Human Mobility (October 7, 2011)
Forum on the African Union Convention on Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention) (June 17, 2011)
Regional Workshop on Protecting and Promoting Rights in Natural Disasters in the Great Lakes Region and East Africa (June 16, 2011)
Regional Workshop on Internal Displacement Caused by Natural Disasters and Climate Change in the Pacific (May 4, 2011)
Ivory Coast on the Brink (March 22, 2011)
Protecting the Internally Displaced: Achievements, Opportunities and Challenges (March 9, 2011)