A/HRC/41/40 I. Introduction 1. The report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 32/11. In it she provides an overview of activities undertaken since her previous report (A/HRC/38/39). The present report focuses on the role of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in preventing and responding to internal displacement due to all causes, the challenges facing them, their current practices, and the opportunities to enhance their role as key human rights partners of Governments and other national and international stakeholders. II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2. The year 2018 marked the twentieth anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (GP20) and an important opportunity to raise awareness of them, the ongoing and evolving challenges globally and nationally relating to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the urgent need to prevent and reduce internal displacement. The Special Rapporteur organized and participated in numerous activities over the reporting period. Central to these was the development and launch of the multi-stakeholder GP20 Plan of Action for Advancing Prevention, Protection and Solutions for Internally Displaced People 2018–2020 (see para. 18), including four priority issues: participation of IDPs; national law and policy on internal displacement; data and analysis; and addressing protracted displacement and securing durable solutions for IDPs. 3. The Plan of Action was launched during a stakeholder meeting held in Geneva on 17 April 2018, sponsored by the Governments of Austria, Honduras and Uganda. It was drafted under the leadership of the Special Rapporteur, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in consultation with various agencies and partners. A mapping of planned activities and initiatives supporting the priority areas at the local, national, regional and international levels was undertaken, while a steering group was created to oversee the implementation and monitor the progress of the three-year Plan of Action. A full account of activities is provided in addendum 1 to the present report. 4. The Special Rapporteur continued to support the mainstreaming of the human rights of IDPs within the United Nations system and the wider humanitarian community, including through her participation in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee at the Principal level. She participated in the Principals’ meetings held in May 2018, during which the GP20 Plan of Action was endorsed, and in December 2018. 5. Pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 35/101 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Guiding Principles, the first panel discussion on the achievements, best practices, challenges and recommendations with regard to applying the Guiding Principles was held on 26 June at the thirty-eighth session of the Council. The panel was organized and moderated by the Special Rapporteur, who highlighted the importance of the anniversary to galvanize efforts to protect and promote the rights of IDPs and promote national responsibility for them. 6. Continuing work to strengthen regional mechanisms and regional law- and policymaking processes, the Special Rapporteur supported the African Union in promoting ratification and implementation of the Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention). On 9 February 2019 she participated in a round table on addressing root causes of forced displacement and achieving durable solutions in Africa, held in Addis Ababa as part of the African Union year of “Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa”. In December 2018, she provided written evidence to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Parliamentary Inquiry on forced displacement in Africa. 7. On 27 June 2018, during the thirty-eighth session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur organized a side event, “In their own words”, to bring forward the 3