A/HRC/29/34
sustainable strategies, constitute a solution to displacement that absolves them of further
responsibilities. Such measures may be forced upon IDPs or accepted by them, since they
are frequently unaware of their rights under international law.
B.
Progress towards ensuring a place for internally displaced persons in
development agendas
26.
With displacement at its highest levels since the Second World War, it is
important to revisit the fundamental premises on which the post-war order is based, in the
context of displacement. The 1945 Charter of the United Nations (Arts. 55 and 56) created
an obligation for the United Nations and Member States to create conditions of stability and
well-being based on respect for the equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to
promote and pledge to achieve, inter alia, higher standards of living, full employment, and
conditions of economic and social progress and development. Those obligations also
pertain to IDPs and require their inclusion in the post-2015 development agenda.
27.
The 1986 Declaration on the Right to Development (General Assembly
resolution 41/128, annex) underscores that development is an inalienable human right. It
establishes that: “States have the right and the duty to formulate appropriate national
development policies that aim at the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire
population and of all individuals, on the basis of their active, free and meaningful
participation in development and in the fair distribution of the benefits resulting therefrom.”
Nevertheless, IDPs have frequently been neglected in or excluded from development
strategies and programmes.
28.
states:
A 2014 European Commission paper on “Development, refugees and IDPs”6
While refugees and IDPs frequently benefit from humanitarian assistance, they are often
excluded from programmes and activities carried out by development actors, with the result
that their developmental needs may be neglected and efforts to achieve sustainable solutions
receive inadequate attention. At the same time, host populations might not benefit from
humanitarian assistance provided to refugees and IDPs, paving the way to potential conflicts
between the two communities. In addition, the development needs of returnees and long-term
strategies to address them have often been overlooked once back in the country or area of
origin.
29.
UNHCR highlights that approximately three quarters of displaced persons, both
refugees and IDPs, are in situations of protracted displacement. It has stated:
the perception that displacement challenges can only be addressed by humanitarian means is
ill-conceived which has either impeded or delayed in achieving the sustainability of solutions
or resulted in protracted displacements finding difficulties to break from the cycle of
dependence on humanitarian assistance and to move on with their lives and livelihoods. 7
30.
In his report to the General Assembly (A/68/225), in which he addressed the role
of humanitarian and development actors in achieving durable solutions for IDPs through
peacebuilding in the aftermath of conflict, the Special Rapporteur identified initiatives
aimed at bridging the gap between relief and development. For instance, the Solutions
Alliance was launched in April 2014 when humanitarian actors, development organizations,
6
7
8
Available from
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/policies/sectoral/2014_dev_refugees_idps_issuespaper.pdf.
UNHCR, “Concept note: Transitional Solutions Initiative”, p. 1.
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