Summary

The present addendum, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 32/11, provides an overview of the activities envisaged and so far undertaken under the “GP20” multi-stakeholder initiative convened by the Special Rapporteur in 2017 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement in 2018. The addendum contains the Plan of Action for Advancing Prevention, Protection and Solutions for Internally Displaced People (2018-2020) which was spearheaded by the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, UNHCR and OCHA and participated in by stakeholders including a Steering Group. It also provides an overview of global and national level activities implemented in accordance with this Plan of Action by State actors, UN agencies, civil society and others.

The thematic priorities for GP20 were determined at a stakeholder meeting convened in September 2017 in Geneva by the Special Rapporteur. A GP20 Plan of Action1 was developed around four priority areas (participation of IDPs; national laws and policies addressing internal displacement; data and analysis on internal displacement; and addressing protracted displacement and facilitating durable solutions) through consultations with UN Member States, UN entities, NGOs, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and key experts on internal displacement. The Plan of Action was launched on 17 April 2018 in Geneva at a meeting convened by the Special Rapporteur and hosted by Austria, Honduras and Uganda. A Communications Working Group was likewise established to support the Plan of Action. In May 2018, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Principals endorsed the GP20 Plan of Action at a session in New York devoted to internal displacement with agreement to support its implementation and engage in collective action.2 Moreover, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator called on governments to reaffirm their commitments to the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and the international community to bring forth renewed action to address internal displacement.3 A joint letter between the Special Rapporteur and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights was transmitted in September 2018 to all OHCHR field presences endorsing the Plan of Action for their implementation. GP20 focal points have been established in UN Resident Coordinator offices and UN agencies across all regions to increase efforts at the national level to improve the lives of IDPs.