Unlike refugees who cross national borders and benefit from an established system of international protection and assistance, those forcibly uprooted within their own countries, by armed conflict, internal strife, systematic violations of human rights, or natural disasters, lack predictable structures of support. There are currently 25 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) worldwide in at least 50 countries. No continent has been spared. Internal displacement has become one of the more pressing humanitarian, human rights and security problems confronting the international community.
The Project on Internal Displacement was created to promote a more effective national, regional, and international response to this global problem and to support the work of the Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in carrying out the responsibilities of the mandate. The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement monitors displacement problems worldwide, promotes the dissemination and application of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, works with governments, regional bodies, international organizations and civil society to create more effective policies and institutional arrangements for IDPs, convenes international seminars on internal displacement, and publishes major studies, articles and reports.
In 2000, Francis Deng was awarded The Rome Prize for Peace and Humanitarian Action ( Read Acceptance Statement)
In 2005, Francis Deng and Roberta Cohen were the co-winners of the Grawemeyer Award for "Ideas Improving World Order". (Read More )
The Project is co-directed by Walter Kälin the Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, and Elizabeth Ferris, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. The Project will collaborate with both Dr. Francis Deng, the former Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons (1994-2004) and Roberta Cohen, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
ADDITIONAL STAFF
Andrew Solomon
Fellow and Deputy Director
The Brookings Institution
asolomon@brookings.edu
Jacqueline Geis
Development and Project Manager
The Brookings Institution
jgeis@brookings.edu
Erin Williams
Project Coordinator
The Brookings Institution
ewilliams@brookings.edu
Erin Bourgois
Project Administrator
The Brookings Institution
ebourgois@brookings.edu
Chareen Stark
Senior Research Assistant
The Brookings Institution
cstark@brookings.edu
Monika Wyss
Assistant to Walter Kälin
University of Bern
monika.wyss@oefre.unibe.ch
CONTACT INFORMATION
Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
USA
Tel: +1 (202) 797-6168
Fax: +1 (202) 797-2970
brookings-bern@brookings.edu
The University of Bern
School of Law
Schanzeneckstrasse 1
CH-3012 Bern
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (31) 631-4838
Fax: +41 (31) 631-3883