Legal status of Internally Displaced Persons in international law

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 (Master of International Law, Shahid Beheshti University

2 (Assistant Professor of law, Islamic Azad university, Karaj Branch)

10.48308/jlr.2023.185141.1674

Abstract

One of the challenges of the 21st century is the massive flow of Internally Displaced Persons who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of armed conflicts, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights, natural or human-made disasters, or execution of development and infrastructure projects and seek safe shelters within the borders of their country. Unlike refugees who cross international borders and benefit from a special legal status under international law, IDPs remain within the borders of their home country thus granting them a legal status analogous to refugees face with uncertainty. This article seeks to examine the legal status of IDPs under international law and find out if they benefit from a distinct legal status or not. By investigating different approaches and examining the definition of IDPs in the light of the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, it is concluded that this group does not enjoy a special legal status in international law. The increased number of IDPs proves that there are still some major gaps and challenges that need to be overcome.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Books

    • C. The International Protection of Internally Displaced Persons, Cambridge Studies in International and Comparative Law, Cambridge University Press. 2005.
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    Thesis

    1. Michele. “The Right not to be Displaced in International Law”, PhD diss, Ghent University, 2013.

    Instruments

    1. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
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    1. Global Protection Cluster, Handbook for the Protection of IDPS June 2010, available at: refworld.org/docid/4790cbc02.html (last visited on 06/09/2020).
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    https://www.ifrc.org/PageFiles/125745/Implementing%20International%20Laws%20for%20Internally%20Displaced%20Persons%20in%20Situation%20of%20Natural%20Disasters.pdf (last visited on 25/03/2021).

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    www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/security-at-work/debate.pdf )last visited on 06/09/2020(.

    1. Norwegian Refugee Council/IDMC, National Instruments on Internal Displacement: A Guide to their Development, (2013) available at:

         www.refworld.org/docid/5242d02d4.html )last visited on 03/22/2020(.

    1. UNHCR, Policy on UNHCR's Engagement in Situations of Internal Displacement, 18 Sep 2019, available at:

         www.refworld.org/docid/5d83364a4.html )last visited on 06/22/2020(.

    1. Zeender, G, Narrowing Criteria Cannot Solve IDP Problems, Forced Migration Review, 17 (2003), available at:www.fmreview.org/when-does-internal-displacement-end )last visited on 06/03/2020(.

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History

  • Receive Date: 27 July 2020
  • Revise Date: 13 January 2022
  • Accept Date: 13 March 2023

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