A/HRC/35/27 66. Other factors also require greater attention, including the role of discrimination on ethnic or religious grounds as a cause of displacement and a factor affecting the responses provided to some internally displaced persons. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur participated as an expert panellist in the ninth Forum on Minority Issues, the theme for which was minorities in situations of humanitarian crises, held in Geneva on 24 and 25 November 2016. 20 She emphasized that ethnic or religious identity could be a factor increasing the vulnerability of some communities to displacement, and she contributed to a series of recommendations. 1. Development-induced displacement 67. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement establish that the prohibition of arbitrary displacement includes displacement “in cases of large-scale development projects, which are not justified by compelling and overriding public interests” (principle No. 6). While recognizing the significant benefits that development projects often bring to societies more widely, especially those in less developed countries, questions remain as to the appropriate criteria and parameters to be applied in cases where development could lead to internal displacement. The Special Rapporteur will consult with global and national development actors, including United Nations bodies and agencies, and other stakeholders, with the objective of clarifying the practices employed and the criteria applied at all phases of development processes. 68. While relevant guidelines, including the 2007 basic principles and guidelines on development-based evictions and displacement, 21 provide guidance in addressing the human rights implications of development-linked displacement, further understanding of these issues is required in order to ensure that those at risk of internal displacement and those who are displaced by development are protected in conformity with all relevant international laws and standards. The Special Rapporteur will devote a thematic report to this issue and will elaborate a set of recommendations, as well as promoting the implementation of positive practices and processes that should be applied to development projects. 2. Generalized violence-induced displacement 69. Situations of generalized violence do not constitute conflict but may have a similar impact on those forced to leave their homes. Greater research is required to reveal the full extent of the problem and its impact on individuals, families and communities. As highlighted by the former Special Rapporteur, governments may not acknowledge violenceinduced displacement as triggering their obligations to protect the affected persons as internally displaced persons under international law and standards, including the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. Equally, those affected may not know or claim their rights to protection as internally displaced persons and may in fact seek anonymity due to threats and the risk of violence, making them hard to identify and reach with assistance. 70. The Special Rapporteur will seek to continue her engagement with countries where generalized violence is the cause of internal displacement. In particular, the Special Rapporteur seeks to continue the mandate’s support to Honduras, visited by the former Special Rapporteur in 2015 and 2016, to examine the situation of violence-related internal displacement, and to maintain her support for the Government in its work to protect internally displaced persons, including through the adoption of a law on internally displaced persons. Furthermore, she thanks the Government of El Salvador and the Government of Guatemala for their positive responses to her requests for official visits to those countries, and will conduct an official visit to El Salvador in the second half of 2017 and to Guatemala in 2019. 20 21 See www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Minority/Pages/Session9.aspx. See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Housing/Guidelines_en.pdf. 17