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Survivors of the 2005 earthquake cooking at Bassian camp, near Balakot in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. © UNHCR/B.Baloch
Who is an Internally Displaced Person?
"Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are 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" (UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement).
Today the estimated number of people internally displaced as a result of armed conflict and violence is around 26 million. UNHCR currently helps 12.8 million people from this group.
"Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are 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" (UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement).
Today the estimated number of people internally displaced as a result of armed conflict and violence is around 26 million. UNHCR currently helps 12.8 million people from this group.
Protecting and assisting IDPs
UNHCR is currently engaged in 28 IDP operations. See an overview here.
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Guiding Documents
Policy and guidance relating to UNHCR's role in humanitarian response to situations of internal displacement.
Useful Links
More useful information on IDPs.
Global Clusters
UNHCR's leadership role in Protection, Emergency Shelter, and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM).
(External link)
Stories from the Field
IDPs are sharing their experiences in this selection of UNHCR news stories.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions about IDPs. [pdf, 1.3Mb]
IDPs in figures
(External link, new window)
Appeals and Funding
HIV & displacement
Photo Galleries
Abbreviations
Publications and News
Read more about internally displaced persons in Refworld online.
Handbook for the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons
This provisional edition aims to provide legal and operational guidance to human rights, humanitarian and development actors involved in protection efforts on behalf of internally displaced people and other affected populations in complex emergencies. Published December 2007.
Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
Addressing the specific needs of internally displaced persons worldwide by identifying rights and guarantees relevant to their protection
(pdf, 1.1Mb).
(External link, new window)
Appeals and Funding
HIV & displacement
Photo Galleries
Abbreviations
Publications and News
Read more about internally displaced persons in Refworld online.
Handbook for the Protection of Internally Displaced PersonsThis provisional edition aims to provide legal and operational guidance to human rights, humanitarian and development actors involved in protection efforts on behalf of internally displaced people and other affected populations in complex emergencies. Published December 2007.
Guiding Principles on Internal DisplacementAddressing the specific needs of internally displaced persons worldwide by identifying rights and guarantees relevant to their protection
(pdf, 1.1Mb).