Right to Health of Internally Displaced Persons - IDP SriLanka

5. Do the Health Rights of the IDPs Require e a Special
Protection?
t o The international and local laws and standards on right to health are
equally relevant to IDPs. Therefore an involuntary question will raised
that why a special attention is required for health concerns of IDPs. The
economic, social and security status after the displacement
automatically make them vulnerable to health hazards. This is to say that
soon after the displacement, most often they have to live in community
centers where the general living conditions such as essential foods,
water, shelter and sanitation is very much poor and therefore, the risk of
health outbreaks are higher in those places. Even in the stages of
resettlement, homes, wells and latrines are being damaged and it takes
time to come to the normal life. With the loss of livelihood opportunities
and other economic barriers also prevent them from spending a
considerable monetary allocation on health and other sanitary
requirements. Especially, among this vulnerability, the extreme
vulnerable groups such as pregnant mothers and women and child
headed families require special protection. Ignorance of the health
conditions after the displacement therefore, will lead to another disaster
and at the same time, if the situation aggravates and if it leads to an
epidemic situation, the rendering cost to overcome will be higher.
Therefore, the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
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(GPID) which deals with the rights of IDPs specifically need to be
adhered in this regard. Principle 18 of GPID states that all IDPs have the
right to an adequate standard of living and at the minimum, regardless of
the circumstances, and without discrimination. Competent authorities
shall provide IDPs with and ensure access to essential food and
portable water, basic shelter and housing, appropriate clothing and
essential medical service and sanitation.
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GPID comprises a normative framework drawn from established international
humanitarian law and human rights law on the rights of the displaced persons and the
governments' and other authorities' obligations towards displaced persons introduced by
the United Nations in 1998.
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