From Responsibility to Response: Assessing National - Brookings

CHAPTER 1 Assessing National Approaches to Internal Displacement: Findings from 15 Countries
There have been policy statements in other countries
about the importance of IDP participation, but little
information exists on whether the statements have
translated into meaningful participation or simply
pay “lip service” to the principle of participation. In
countries where a national policy on internal displacement
has been adopted, it is noteworthy that most of
the national policies do include provisions regarding
IDP participation. Uganda presents an especially interesting
case because the National Policy on Internal
Displacement (2004) includes extensive provisions
promoting and guaranteeing the participation of IDPs
in its implementation. In each district, the District
Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), which is
the lead mechanism for protection of and assistance to
IDPs, includes in its membership two IDPs, one man
and one woman, who reside in one of the IDP camps
in the district and who “shall represent all IDPs of the
district in the DDMC”; the same is true for the Disaster
Management Committee. Additional measures are
planned to facilitate the participation of women and
youth: “In order to ensure the full participation of IDPs,
in particular that of women, in the planning and management
of responses to their protection and assistance
needs, representatives of displaced women shall be consulted
and may be invited to participate in the meetings
of the DDMC.” The chief administrative officer of the
district also is to “ensure that special measures are made
to ensure that internally displaced women and youth
are consulted on matters relating to their welfare.” The
National Policy on Internal Displacement places special
emphasis on consultation with and participation of
IDPs in the search for durable solutions. DDMCs are
obliged to include IDP representatives in the planning
and management of return and resettlement, and representatives
of IDPs, along with the DDMCs and other
local authorities, are to ensure that the return and resettlement
of IDPs is voluntary. Further, IDPs are to be
consulted on the design of the resettlement assistance
kits, in particular concerning “the most appropriate
Displaced Persons Policy,” 17 March 2010 (www.
sprogrammes.go.ke/index.php?option=com_content&tas
k=view&id=321&Itemid=117).
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inputs to meet their food security needs under prevailing
conditions.” 12
Implementation of these provisions and of the national
policy overall is another matter. In 2006, two years after
its adoption, the policy was still little known among
IDPs as well as local officials and camp commanders. 13
Moreover, a review workshop emphasized the need for
“greater involvement and more extensive consultation
of stakeholders in planning humanitarian interventions
and activities.” Particular importance was placed
on consulting with and providing information to IDPs
regarding issues of voluntary return, resettlement and
reintegration. Overall, the workshop recommended
that “IDPs and their communities . . . be integrated
more fully into the implementation of the IDP policy.” 14
The experience in Uganda is by no means unique.
In Nepal, consultation with IDPs is called for in the
National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons
(2007), 15 but there is no evidence that this provision
has been implemented; the majority of IDPs surveyed
by the Nepal IDP Working Group did not even know
12 Government of Uganda, “National Policy on Internally
Displaced Persons (2004),” sections 2.4, 2.5.1, 3.4(4)-(5),
and 3.14(1).
13 Refugee Law Project and Internal Displacement
Monitoring Centre, Only Peace Can Restore the Confidence
of the Displaced, March 2006 (www.internal-displacement.
org).
14 “Workshop on the Implementation of Uganda’s National
Policy for Internally Displaced Persons,” Kampala, Uganda,
3–4 July 2006, hosted by the government of Uganda and
convened by the Representative of the Secretary-General
on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons
(RSG on IDPs), the Brookings Institution-University of
Bern Project on Internal Displacement, and the Inter-
Agency Standing Committee Country Team, pp. 4, 13–14,
20 (www.brookings.edu/fp/projects/idp/conferences/
Uganda_Workshop2006_rpt.pdf).
15 Government of Nepal, Ministry of Home Affairs, National
Policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) 2063
[2007]. Full text available at: Brookings-LSE Project on
Internal Displacement, “National Laws and Policies on
Internal Displacement: Nepal,” (www.brookings.edu/
projects/idp/Laws-and-Policies/idp_policies_index.aspx).