Conferences and Workshops
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| AMERICAS |
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| ASIA |
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| EUROPE |
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| MIDDLE EAST |
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| THEMATIC |
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| | Forthcoming Country and Regional Meetings
The Brookings-Bern Project plans to convene additional country and regional meetings to raise awareness to the plight of internally displaced persons and to promote and disseminate the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.
AFRICA
Workshop on the Implementation of the Republic of Uganda's National Policy for Internally Displaced Persons, 3-4 July 2006, Kampala, Uganda [Top]
Hosted by the government of Uganda and in consultation with the UN, the Representative of the UN Secretary-General and the Brookings-Bern Project convened a workshop that brought together more than 100 members of the central and local governments, UN agencies, civil society and IDPs to discuss implementation of Uganda's national policy.
See the Complete Report
See the Press Release
See the Opening Statement by Walter Kälin
See the Concluding Statement and Recommendations
See the Workshop Agenda
See the Background Paper
Regional Conference on Internal Displacement in West Africa (26-28 April 2006) [Top]
The First Regional Conference on Internal Displacement in West Africa was held in Abuja, Nigeria from 26 to 28 April. The Government of Nigeria hosted the conference and the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Representative of the United Nations Secretary General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were the co-sponsors.
The purpose of the conference was to review current trends in internal displacement in the region, to share experiences and best practices, to consider the role and activities that ECOWAS might play in addressing internal displacement, and to identify steps that could be taken to enhance policies and practices at the national, regional and international levels.
Participants included the ECOWAS Member States, the ECOWAS Secretariat, the United Nations and other international agencies, the donor community, civil society, and research institutions. The meeting produced a Communiqué and Meeting Recommendations.
See the Agenda
See the Opening Statement by Walter Kälin
See the Background Paper; (Cliquez ici pour la version francaise)
See the Communiqué of Meeting; (Cliquez ici pour la version francaise)
See the Meeting Recommendations and Summary of Discussion; (Cliquez ici pour la version francaise)
First Regional Conference on Internal Displacement in West Africa -- Final Report
Premiere conference regionale sur le deplacement de personnes à l'interieur de leur propre pays en Afrique de l'Ouest -- Rapport final
Seminar on Internal Displacement in the SADC Region (August 24-26, 2005) [Top]
The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement and the Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) co-sponsored a regional seminar on internal displacement covering the countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), including Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe. Participants included government representatives, SADC, international organizations, and NGOs. The seminar was held in Gaborone, Botswana from 24-26 August 2005 and hosted by the Government of Botswana. See the Agenda (PDF—54kb)
See the List of Participants (PDF—102kb)
See the Background Paper (PDF—104kb)
See the Opening Statement by Walter Kälin (PDF—24kb)
See the Conference Report; (Voir le rapport en francaise.)
Conference on Internal Displacement in the IGAD Sub-Region (30 August-2 September 2003) [Top]
The Brookings-SAIS Project and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' IDP Unit have collaborated with the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)—a regional organization in East Africa comprising the countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda—to convene IGAD's first conference on the issue of internal displacement. The conference was hosted by the Government of Sudan in Khartoum.
The conference began with a three-day meeting of experts from the governments from all seven IGAD member states, local and international non-governmental organizations, internally displaced persons, the African Union, UN and other international organizations, research institutions, and donors. Among the recommendations agreed at the experts meeting were: (1) the development by IGAD member states of comprehensive national policies on internal displacement using the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement as a reference; (2) the development of regional strategies for internal displacement and related issues, such as small arms proliferation and cross-border cattle rustling, and; (3) the creation of a unit within the IGAD Secretariat to focus on issues of forced displacement in the sub-region, including internally displaced persons.
The conference then culminated in a ministerial meeting that considered and adopted the recommendations of the experts and also issued the Khartoum Declaration on Internally Displaced Persons in the IGAD Sub-Region, which sets out a number of concrete steps for IGAD and its member states to take to address internal displacement. The Declaration takes note of the Guiding Principles "as a useful tool for developing and evaluating national policies and legislation on internal displacement," noting also that the Guiding Principles "compile the existing international law related to internal displacement." It also echoes the experts meeting's call for the establishment of a unit on forced displacement within the IGAD Secretariat, which would be tasked to collect data on displacement in the sub-region, disseminate the Guiding Principles, provide technical assistance to member states, and explore further sub-regional cooperation on displacement issues.
See the Khartoum Declaration on Internally Displaced Persons in the IGAD Sub-Region adopted by the ministerial meeting.
See the Recommendations of the experts meeting (as adopted by the ministerial meeting).
See the Background Paper
See the Conference Report
Seminar on Internal Displacement in Southern Sudan (November 2002) [Top]
The Brookings-SAIS Project, in collaboration with UNICEF, convened a seminar on internal displacement in southern Sudan to promote greater attention to the needs of an estimated 2 million internally displaced persons living in areas controlled by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and the Sudan People's Democratic Front (SPDF). It was the first seminar convened by the Project and the Representative with the cooperation and active participation of non-state actors. The seminar was chaired by the Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons and included representatives of the SPLM/A, the executive director of the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SRRA), the SPDF, international organizations and non-governmental organizations with operations in southern Sudan and local civil society, as well as host communities and internally displaced persons.
See the Seminar Report
ECOWAS/IOM Workshop on International Migration in West Africa (September/October 2002) [Top]
The Brookings-SAIS Project joined with ECOWAS and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in a Workshop on International Migration in West Africa, held in Dakar, Senegal from 29 September through 5 October, 2002. Project staff addressed the ECOWAS member states on internal displacement and the Guiding Principles and discussed with them how to integrate the issue of internal displacement into the development of a regional approach to migration policy and into the programs and activities of ECOWAS. Participants included representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Justice from each of the ECOWAS member states, the ECOWAS secretariat, IOM and various experts.
See the Project Statements presented at the Workshop:
Welcoming Remarks
Internal Displacement: Overview and Information Issues
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and their Pertinence to Governments in the ECOWAS Region
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement: Standing and Application
The Role of Regional Organizations
Closing Statement.
Workshop on Internal Displacement in Africa (October 1998) [Top]
The Brookings Project, UNHCR and the Organization of African Unity jointly convened a regional workshop in Addis Ababa to focus attention on the problem of internal displacement in Africa and identify ways of improving response at the national, regional and international levels. Specifically, the workshop aimed to promote the dissemination and application of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement throughout the African continent; to explore the role of Africa's regional and sub-regional organizations in addressing the problem of internal displacement; and to formulate concrete conclusions and recommendations on internal displacement in Africa.
The meeting brought together African regional organizations, local African NGOs, international organizations, and experts to discuss how to promote more effective responses to internal displacement in Africa.
Workshop papers were published in the Refugee Survey Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 1, 1999. Copies can be ordered from the RSQ website. For additional information on this event, see the Workshop Report, or Annexes, which include the Agenda and List of Participants.
THE AMERICAS
Conference on Internal Displacement in the Americas (February 18-20, 2004) [Top]
The Brookings-SAIS Project and the Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons, in partnership with the Government of Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, co-sponsored a regional seminar on internal displacement in the Americas, held in Mexico City, 18 to 20 February 2004. It was the first regional seminar of its kind.
The Foreign Minister of Mexico opened the meeting. More than sixty people participated—representatives from the Governments of Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, and Peru, national human rights institutions, local and international non-governmental organizations, leaders of internally displaced communities, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the World Bank, and experts from research institutions.
The objective of the seminar was to examine current trends in internal displacement in the Americas and propose effective national, regional, and international policies and practices for addressing the problem in the region.
The seminar concluded with a framework of action which outlined sixteen points for improved national response to internal displacement, as well as steps to be taken at the regional and international levels.
See the Agenda (PDF—50kb)
See the List of Participants (PDF—80kb)
See the Background Paper (PDF—40kb)
See the Conference Report (PDF—624.54kb)
See the Conference Report in Spanish(PDF—647.54kb)
Workshop on the Dissemination and Implementation of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, Bogota, Colombia (May 1999) [Top]
The workshop was organized in collaboration with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and a consortium of Colombian NGOs (Grupo de Apoyo a Organizaciones de Desplazados). Because of the growing number of internally displaced persons in Colombia, now estimated at one million, the meeting focused primarily on the situation in Colombia, although representatives from NGOs in Peru also participated. In addition to promoting strategies to improve protection for IDPs, the workshop promoted dialogue between the NGOs and government agencies involved with the displaced. Participants included NGOs, organization of displaced persons, international organizations operating in Colombia, and the Colombian government. A report in Spanish, Memorias, has been published in Bogota, and an English Summary Report, including a List of Participants, is available.
ASIA
Regional Workshop on National Human Rights Institutions and Internally Displaced Persons, Colombo, Sri Lanka (October 2005)
The workshop was held in Colombo and hosted by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and jointly organized by the Commission, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions(APF) and the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement. The objectives of the workshop were to: (1) exchange experiences and strategies relating to the protection of internally displaced persons; (2) increase regional knowledge and understanding of the human rights issues relating to displacement; (3) develop further capacity-building initiatives for National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs); and (4) strengthen collaboration among NHRIs by developing an IDP Focal Point Network.
Participants included representatives of the NHRIs of Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Also participating were United Nations agencies and local, regional and international non-governmental organizations.
Meeting Documents
Concluding Remarks, given by Roberta Cohen
Concluding Statements and Recommendations
Final Meeting Report
Seminar on Internal Displacement in Indonesia: Toward an Integrated Approach (June 2001) [Top]
The Brookings-CUNY Project, in collaboration with the Center for Research on Inter-Group Relations and Conflict Resolution (CERIC), the National Commission on Human Rights (KomnasHAM), OCHA, UNDP and UNHCR, held a seminar in Jakarta, Indonesia to raise visibility to the problem of internal displacement and identify ways of improving the national and international response. More than 130 persons participated (some 30 participants came from 10 of the most affected provinces) from government offices, international organizations, local and international NGOs and research institutions. Participants expressed support for the establishment of a National Commission for IDPs and Community Recovery, called for the creation for an effective information system on IDPs, recommended programs to rebuild trust and solidarity among different ethnic and religious groups, called for the wide dissemination and application of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and urged international humanitarian organizations to expand their presence in affected areas. The seminar report also provides detailed recommendations on how to address: the basic needs of IDPs, the special needs of IDP women and children, education, safety and protection, economic empowerment, information systems and coordination.
See the Report of the Seminar, Francis Deng's Opening Statement, and Roberta Cohen's Presentation on the Guiding Principles.
Regional Conference on Internal Displacement in Asia (February 2000) [Top]
The Brookings Project, in collaboration with UNHCR, Forum Asia, the University of Chulalongkorn, Norwegian Refugee Council, and the U.S. Committee for Refugees, organized a regional conference in Bangkok, Thailand to focus attention on the problem of internal displacement in Asia and identify effective practices for addressing it. Specifically, the conference aimed to promote the dissemination and application of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, share information on the problem of internal displacement within the Asian region, and promote more regular networking among organizations involved with internally displaced persons. The meeting brought together participants from 16 Asian countries including national human rights commissions, NGOs, international organizations, and international academic/research institutions.
Workshop papers were published in the Refugee Survey Quarterly, Vol. 19, No. 2, 2000. Copies can be ordered from the RSQ website. For additional information on this event, including the Final Report, Background Paper, Agenda, List of Participants, or Francis M. Deng's Opening Statement or Presentation, "Internal Displacement: A Global Overview," please visit the main event page.
EUROPE
International Conference on Internal Displacement in the Russian Federation (April 2002) [Top]
The Brookings-CUNY Project, in collaboration with the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the NGO, "Partnership on Migration," held a seminar to examine internal displacement in the Russian Federation, discuss the applicability of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and promote more effective response by national, regional and international actors. Participants included representatives from the government, regional and international organizations, local and international NGOs and research institutions.
More information
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and the Law of the South Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan [Top]
The Brookings Project, in collaboration with the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) and OSCE/ODIHR, supported a monitoring process in the South Caucasus by which teams of lawyers from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan examined the laws and administrative regulations in their three countries in terms of the Guiding Principles and recommended legislative reforms.
Two legal experts from each of the South Caucasus countries were assigned to produce research papers on the compatibility of their respective national laws with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and then to organize a roundtable which would serve as a forum for presenting the findings of the research papers and to discuss internal displacement problems in each country and the region. Meetings were held in Yerevan, Armenia (October 2001), Tbilisi, Georgia (February 2002) and Baku, Azerbaijan (February 2002).
The roundtable meetings included introductory remarks by the organizers, presentations by the national experts and discussion of the report and other issues. A broad range of participants attended the meetings, in particular representatives from Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, international and regional organizations and research institutions. See the Reports:
Armenia
Georgia
Azerbaijan
Seminar on Internal Displacement in European Countries (September 2001) [Top]
The Brookings-CUNY Project, in collaboration with the Council of Europe's Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, held a seminar in Geneva, Switzerland to examine internal displacement in Europe, discuss the applicability of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, and consider the steps the Council of Europe could take to reinforce its own programs with regard to the internally displaced. Participants included the members of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography of the Parliamentary Assembly, representatives from international organizations and NGOs, and experts. Following the meeting, seventeen members of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography signed on to a "motion for recommendation" which highlights the vulnerable position of the internally displaced within Europe, calls for the integration of concerns for their protection and the safeguarding of their human rights into the relevant committees of the Council of Europe and invites all member countries to observe the Guiding Principles. If adopted by the Committee, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Parliamentary Assembly and thereafter the Council of Ministers.
See the Statements Presented at the Seminar: Internal Displacement: A Global Overview; The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement: Their Reception Internationally; and The Role of Regional Organizations in Responding to Internal Displacement and Applying the Guiding Principles.
Balkans Lecture Series
(May 31-June 4, 2001) [Top]
The Brookings-CUNY Project, in collaboration with the Center for Refugees and Forced Migration Studies of Skopje, organized a lecture series, held in Macedonia, Albania and Bulgaria, to raise visibility to the worldwide problem of internal displacement and focus attention on the Balkans region. Audiences included government officials, international organizations, regional organizations, international, regional and national military and police, non-governmental organizations, academics, experts and students. TV, radio and newspapers featured the series.
Entitled "Exodus Within Borders: The Global Crisis of Internal Displacement," the Skopje portion was co-sponsored by the Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research of St. Cyril and Methodius University, UNHCR Skopje, and the Open Society Institute; the Bulgaria portion was co-sponsored by UNHCR Sofia, the Bulgarian Red Cross, the Refugee Agency, and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee; and the Albanian portion was hosted by the Center for Refugee and Migration Studies, Tirana.
The Macedonia portion featured Roberta Cohen who gave the opening address, Walter Kaelin (University of Bern), Bill Frelick (US Committee for Refugees), Marc Vincent (Norwegian Refugee Council Global IDP Project), Francois Stamm (ICRC), Walpurga Engelbrecht and Guillermo Bettocchi (UNHCR), Vandana Patel (Commission for Real Property Claims in Bosnia), Elsa Ballauri (Albanian Human Rights Group), Simon Bagshaw (Office of the Representative of the Secretary-General on IDPs, Geneva), Theodore Orlin (University of Pristina, Kosovo), Claudio Delfabro (Legal Aid and Information Centres in Bosnia), and Alision Jolly (OSCE Mission in Kosovo). Walter Kaelin and Theodore Orlin then continued on and lectured in Tirana Albania, and Roberta Cohen lectured in Sofia, Bulgaria. Proceedings from the Macedonia segment are available by email at najce@isppi.ukim.edu.mk
Regional Meeting on Internal Displacement in the South Caucasus (May 2000) [Top]
The Brookings Project, in collaboration with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), held a meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia to promote more effective solutions to the plight of almost one million persons who have been forcibly displaced within the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Specifically, the workshop aimed to promote the dissemination and application of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, share information on the problem of displacement within the South Caucasus, and promote more regular networking among the governments, local NGOs and international organizations in the area. Participants included government delegations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, local and international NGOs, international organizations and international research institutions.
For more information on this meeting, see the Summary Report, Background Paper, Francis M. Deng's Opening Statement, Statement by NGO Participants, Agenda, or List of Participants.
Meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Protection of Persons Under Threat in Kosovo (September 1998) [Top]
Chaired by Francis M. Deng, a group of humanitarian, human rights, military, and diplomatic representatives gathered at the Brookings Institution to discuss how to more effectively protect internally displaced persons and civilians in Kosovo from serious and protracted violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. A series of recommendations were put forward.
For additional information on this event, including the Meeting Report and List of Participants, please see the main event page.
MIDDLE EAST
Panel on Internal Displacement and the Marsh Arabs of Iraq, AMAR Foundation Conference, London (1 March 2006)[Top]
The Brookings-Bern Project organized a panel on internal displacement and the Marsh Arabs (Iraq) at the AMAR Foundation Conference in London.
The panel consisted of Walter Kälin, Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, who gave the keynote address which introduced the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement; Dina Abou Samra, Middle East Analyst, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, Norwegian Refugee Council, who discussed the requirements for sustainable returns to the Marshlands; Dr. Norbert Wuehler, Director of the Claims Programmes, International Organization for Migration, who addressed property and compensation issues in Iraq; Buraq J. Swaady, Officer-in-Charge, UNHCR Iraq (Basra), who discussed the development of Iraq's National Policy on IDPs; and Roberta Cohen, Co-director, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, who gave a summation and closing remarks.
Meeting Documents:
Keynote Address, Walter Kälin
Requirements for Sustainable Returns, Dina Abou Samra
Property Issues, Dr. Norbert Wuehler, forthcoming
Iraq National Policy on IDPs, Buraq J. Swaady
Closing Remarks, Roberta Cohen
THEMATIC CONFERENCES
Consulting IDPS: Moving Beyond Rhetoric, Geneva (15-16 November 2007) [Top]
The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement convened a meeting on “Consulting IDPs: Moving beyond Rhetoric” from 15-16 November 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland. On the first day of the meeting, representatives of nine organizations shared their experiences in consulting with IDPs. On the second day, these participants were joined by other representatives of the humanitarian community to learn about UNHCR’s Tool for Participatory Assessment in Operations and to consider draft guidelines for consulting with IDPs.
In early 2008, the Project will publish the background study for the meeting, together with the case studies and revised draft guidelines for consulting with IDPs. The present report does not attempt to capture all of the proceedings of the meeting, but rather to highlight some of the themes which emerged in the two days of discussion.
View Summary Report
UNHCR and Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement Expert Seminar on Protracted IDP Situations, Geneva (21-22 June 2007) [Top]
On 21-22 June, the Brookings-Bern Project and UNHCR convened a meeting to discuss situations of protracted internal displacement in Geneva. This was the first time a meeting had been organized specifically on long-term IDP situations. During the meeting, discussions focused on the particular protection needs of IDPs in protracted IDP situations, the differences between protracted refugee and IDP situations and on the many gaps in our understanding of protracted IDP situations. Participants included representatives from the UN, other international organizations, NGOs, and academic researchers.
View Seminar Report
Annual Course on the Law of Internal Displacement, Sanremo, Italy [Top]
From 4-9 June 2007, the 3rd Annual Course on the Law of Internal Displacement was held at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy. This year's course was also co-hosted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR). The five-day course brought together senior representatives of 15 governments from Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, as well as two donor governments and two international NGOs. The main aims of the course are to: increase understanding of the international norms underpinning the protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs); encourage governments to establish or improve existing legislation and policies on the protection of IDPs; and facilitate the exchange of experiences between participants regarding implementation and monitoring mechanisms.
View Press Release
Reporting Crises – How the Media, Relief Agencies and the Government Determine Humanitarian Response, The Brookings Institution (24 May 2007) [Top]
This spring, the Brookings Institution launched the first in a series of seminars on the relationship of the media, relief agencies and governments in determining humanitarian response. The purpose of the series is to analyze trends in media coverage of world-wide humanitarian crises and the impact this coverage has on government policies, relief operations, and ultimately on the victims of the crises. This first panel focused on the challenges confronting journalists and media organizations in reporting humanitarian crises. Participants included US government and UN representatives, NGOs, academics, and journalists.
View Summary Report
Researching Internal Displacement – State of the Art and an Agenda for the Future, Cairo (7-8 March 2007) [Top]
In March 2007, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, together with Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of International Migration, convened a conference in Cairo, Egypt, to assess the state of current research in the field of internal displacement. Representatives from research institutions from around the world shared information on their current research work and then identified both research gaps and methodological problems in the study of IDPs. The meeting then discussed strategies to respond to the identified shortcomings, including building institutional partnerships, considering alternative funding opportunities, and identifying priority areas for future research.
View Summary Report
View Directory of Forced Migration Research Centers
Conference on Development-Induced Displacement (December 2002) [Top]
A Conference on Development-Induced Displacement was convened by the Brookings-SAIS Project on Internal Displacement in Washington DC to examine the nature and scope of development-induced displacement; the international guidelines that apply, in particular the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, and policy guidelines of the World Bank, OECD and other agencies; and institutional frameworks for addressing the problem, including the most effective role for the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons and other UN bodies concerned with internal displacement. Participants included representatives from international financial and development institutions, research centers and universities, and non-governmental organizations. The background paper for the meeting was written by W. Courtland Robinson.
See the Conference Report
See the Development-Induced Displacement Report
International Symposium on the Mandate of the Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons: Taking Stock and Charting the Future (December 2002) [Top]
In December 2002, the Brookings-SAIS Project helped organize a meeting in Vienna, hosted by the Governments of Austria and Norway, to take stock of the mandate's work over the past decade and identify future challenges. Convened on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the mandate of the Representative, the meeting set forth future strategies at the international, regional, national and local levels for promoting enhanced responses to the global crisis of internal displacement. Participants included representatives of international organizations, regional bodies, local and international non-governmental organizations, internally displaced persons associations, and research institutions from different parts of the world.
See the Symposium Report
Conference on When Internal Displacement Ends (April 2002, September 2002, and September 2004) [Top]
The Brookings-SAIS Project, in collaboration with the Georgetown University Institute for the Study of International Migration and the Norwegian Refugee Council, organized three meetings on the subject of determining when internal displacement ends. In the absence of criteria, determination of the cessation of IDP status has been made, if at all, by governments, international organizations, and NGOs on a case-by-case basis and using criteria that varies, often leading to conflicting decisions. The two meetings brought together representatives from international organizations and non-governmental organizations working with internally displaced persons as well as experts from universities and research institutions to consider the development and standardization of criteria for determining when displacement ends.
Brainstorming Session on When Internal Displacement Ends
Washington, DC
April 2002
See the Summary Report, Background Paper, and Legal Comment
Meeting on When Internal Displacement Ends
Hosted by the Norwegian Refugee Council
Geneva, Switzerland
September 2002
See the Discussion Paper
Roundtable on When Displacement Ends
Co-hosted by the Government of Canada and the Government of Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland, 27 September 2004
View Summary Report
Additional Materials
"When Does Internal Displacement End?" Forced Migration Review, Special issue guest edited by Erin Mooney of the Brookings-SAIS Project on Internal Displacement.
Conference Statement on "When Does Internal Displacement End?"
Meeting on European Donor Policies towards Internally Displaced Persons (November 2001) [Top]
The Brookings-CUNY Project, in collaboration with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and the Norwegian Refugee Council, commissioned a report on the European response to situations of internal displacement. The report, The Need for a More Focused Response: European Donor Policies Toward Internally Displaced Persons, which was written by Philip Rudge examines European donor response to internal displacement in Colombia, Sudan, Chechnya/Ingushetia, and Afghanistan, and focuses especially on the European Union per se, as well as the United Kingdom (an EU member) and Norway (not an EU member). In November 2001, a meeting was held in Brussels to review the findings of the draft report. Participants included representatives from the three sponsoring organizations, the European Commission of the EU, humanitarian NGOs and research institutions. In response to the report, the meeting was informed that the government of Norway had appointed a focal point in its Foreign Ministry on the issue of internal displaceme |