The magnitude of the world’s internal displacement problem is as large as it has ever been, with an estimated 25 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in some 50 countries. Moreover, the situation of many IDPs remains desperate, with gaps in the national and international response, especially in the area of protection, leaving them vulnerable to deprivation, physical harm, and the loss of dignity. Nevertheless, as Francis Deng points out, the international community and concerned States have taken important steps over the last decade to face up to the phenomenon of internal displacement.