Multi-stakeholder Plan of Action for Advancing Prevention, Protection and Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons (GP20)

On 17 April 2018, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement , the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) launched the GP20 , a three-year multi-stakeholder plan of action to reduce and resolve internal displacement through prevention, protection and solutions for internally displaced persons consistent with the Guiding Principles.

The objectives of the Plan of Action center around four priority issues for more strategic, coordinated and collaborative action on internal displacement: the participation of internally displaced persons in programmes and decision-making processes affecting them, national law and policy on internal displacement, data and analysis on internal displacement, and addressing protracted displacement and securing durable solutions. The Plan of Action was developed in consultation with various UN entities, international non-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations consortia, academia, Member States, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other internal displacement experts. Based on resolution 35/01 of the Human Rights Council, the OHCHR organised a panel discussion during the 38th session of the Human Rights Council introducing the GP20 Plan of Action to the members and observers of the Human Rights Council June 2018 session.

From 2018 to 2020, the GP20 gathered a wide range of key experts and stakeholders at the national, regional and global levels and conducted a series of activities (see for example the report of the 2019 Special Rapporteur to the Human Rights Council containing the GP20 Plan of Action and an overview of the activities envisaged and thus far undertaken under the GP20).

In October 2020, an intersessional seminar to follow up on the implementation of the Plan of Action was convened by OHCHR as requested by the Human Rights Council in its Resolution 41/15 . The Special Rapporteur moderated the seminar, which had the participation of a wide range of stakeholders. An informal summary of the event is available.

At the end of 2020, the GP20 launched a Compilation of National Practices to Prevent, Address and Find Durable Solutions to Internal Displacement (GP20 Compilation) showcasing 22 promising practices on internal displacement shared and generated over the three-year lifespan of the GP20.

As the GP20 successfully concluded at the end of 2020, the group of organizations that were the driving force behind the GP20 Steering Group will continue to collaborate under a new chapter provisionally entitled GP2.0. Building on the lessons learned compiled in the GP20 report, this community of experts will be an informal platform for joint initiatives and events as well as sharing of information and good practices on internal displacement. Expressions of interest to join this group are welcome at any time and from any constituency and membership. For more information, please contact the GP20 secretariat at gp2.0@unhcr.org