Internal Displacement

Internal displacement has reached unprecedented levels, with millions of individuals forced to relocate within their countries due to conflicts and disasters. In resolution 78/205, the General Assembly highlighted the challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs), including inadequate protection and assistance, and emphasized both the need to address root causes and provide humanitarian assistance and durable solutions. Noting with appreciation the report of the Secretary-General's High-level Panel on Internal Displacement and the follow-up Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, the General Assembly encouraged the Secretary-General to work with Member States, the UN system and other relevant actors in efforts to address internal displacement, including through regular and enhanced follow-up and collaboration.

At its 46th session, HLCP agreed to pursue a process to promote UN system-wide coherence on internal displacement under the overarching vision of the Secretary-General's Action Agenda. The Committee saw merit in the UN system aligning behind a comprehensive, systematic, solutions-oriented approach that would meet the needs of affected communities. To take the work forward, HLCP established a working group to develop a UN System-wide Approach to Internal Displacement under the leadership of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Solutions to Internal Displacement. 

The Committee provided guidance to the working group at its 47th session on the process to develop a draft System-wide Approach and provided feedback on the preliminary framing of the internal displacement problem. Members also offered thoughts on how the Approach could help to overcome some of the persistent challenges hampering efforts to effectively respond to and resolve internal displacement, including bridging normative and operational work. 

At its 48th session in October 2024, the Committee supported the draft United Nations System-wide Approach to Internal Displacement in its entirety and welcomed the design for the reconfigured global support arrangements. CEB subsequently took note of the Approach. 

At the core of the Approach is an inter-agency Hub for Coordination of Solutions to Internal Displacement, which will support the day-to-day coordination and operations of UNCTs working on solutions, an inter-agency Global Solutions Working Group to maintain broad operational engagement, and an inclusive UN inter-agency IDP Solutions Consultative Group that will meet annually to take stock of progress and discuss high-level global strategy going forward. 

Complementing the efforts pursued under the auspices of CEB, in December 2024, the Executive Committee of the Secretary-General endorsed the global institutional arrangements to supersede the Office of the Special Adviser, as described in the Approach; and in February 2025 the UNSDG and IASC approved the "Guidance on Solutions to Internal Displacement" that will function as the leading reference for United Nations Country Teams and Humanitarian Country Teams in the implementation of solutions work.