Internal Forced Displacement: IDP and the Collaborative Response

Legal Concepts and International Mechanism

Definitions and Distinctions. International Response: The Collaborative and Cluster Approach. Applicability of the Collaborative Response to the Palestinian Case. BADIL and Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) Pilot Study on Forced Displacement as a Result of the Wall.

Who is an IDP?

No legal or internally agreed definition of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement in 1998 (Deng Principles) defines IDP as persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border.

What is the Difference between an IDP and a Refugee?

The main criteria for qualifying as an internally displaced person (IDP) are thus involuntary movement and remaining within one's national borders. Refugees are persons fleeing persecution, who have crossed an international border and who either fall within Article 1A or 1D of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Refugees as persons who owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.

Internal Displacement and International Law

The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (Deng Principles) states that displacement is prohibited when it is based on policies of apartheid, ethnic cleansing or similar practices aimed at/or resulting in altering the ethnic, religious or racial composition of the affected population.

Responsibility to Assist and Protect

Responsibility to assist and protect IDPs lies first and foremost with national authorities in our case, the occupying power (Israel). In case where the authorities are unwilling/unable to meet their responsibilities, international humanitarian and development organizations have the right to offer their services based on protection needs and human rights of the displaced. National authorities should grant rapid and unimpeded access to the IDP.

International Response to IDP

No single UN Agency is responsible to assist and protect IDPs today. Instead, the international community opted for a Collaborative Response to internal displacement based on coordination of all UN and other humanitarian agencies.
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator is responsible for alerting the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA) of any new or changing internal displacement situation and coordinating an inter-agency response to internal displacement at the field level. Mitigated results of the Collaborative Response.

International Response to IDP

In 2005, the 'Cluster Lead' Approach was created allocating clear leadership roles to lead UN Agency for each of the sectors or clusters of the Collaborative Response.
For instance, WFP is in charged of food and logistics; WHO of health; UNICEF of education and nutrition, water hygiene and sanitation; UNDP of early recovery; UNHCR emergency shelter and protection. There is room for flexibility in the cluster leadership approach it will depend of resources/capacity on the ground.

IDP Category to the OPT?

IDP have not yet been recognised as a special category of concern in the occupied Palestinian territories. No UN Response to IDPs although UNRWA provides assistance to displaced refugees. New UN Humanitarian Coordinator to the OPT mandated to ensure a coordinated response to internal displacement. Need monitoring, studies, profiling and advocacy.

Who is an IDP in the OPT?

In the OPT, people displaced during the 1967 war and subsequently in the course of military incursions can be considered IDP provided that they remain within the OPT. IDPs include people displaced as a result of: house demolitions (e.g. Gaza Strip); land confiscations; the Wall and its associated regime; permit systems (e.g. Jordan Valley); Israeli settler violence/harassment

Pilot Study on Internal Displacement as a Result of the Wall and its Regime

The Wall and its Regime do generate forced displacement and population transfer: 17% of
persons who moved since 2002 did so as a result of the Wall and regime. Increased vulnerability to displacement: 64% of households are thinking to change their place of residence. Affect the fabric of Palestinian society: 21% separated from relatives, 69% say the Wall an obstacle to the choice of spouse. Unsustainable coping mechanisms: 79% of women and 68% children have reduced their movement.