This chapter is part of the GPC Protection Field Coordination Toolkit. The Toolkit can be used by all Protection Clusters and cluster-like mechanisms – such as Protection Sectors and Protection Working Groups – working within the cluster system framework. This guidance is also available to partners and other organisations who want to understand the principles and practices of protection coordination.
Overview Chapter 3
Internal displacement occurs when individuals or groups are forced to flee their homes due to armed conflict, generalized violence, human rights violations, or natural or human-made disasters, but remain within their country’s borders. Unlike refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) do not cross an international boundary and therefore do not acquire a special legal status under international law. The Protection Cluster plays a central role in ensuring that protection risks faced by IDPs are identified and addressed, and in promoting rights-based approaches that place the dignity and safety of displaced populations at the center of humanitarian action.
This chapter contains:
- Introduction to internal displacement and the unique needs of IDPs.
- Legal frameworks that guide IDP protection.
- Role of the Protection Cluster in addressing IDP protection and solutions.
- Global guidance and key resources.