Governing protracted displacement - What access to solutions for forcibly displaced people?

The governance of displacement and access to protection are closely linked to solutions for displaced people that refer to both the capability of displaced persons to rebuild their lives after displacement and the opportunities available to do so. Current policies to address displacement follow the (often artificial) division of governance structures for displacement. Available solutions are usually closely related to the classification of displaced persons into different categories. The qualification of a person as a refugee, an internal displaced person (IDP) or a labour migrant entails what kind of solutions provided by the international community are accessible and whether a person can rely on the support by a dedicated agency, or whether the person is left unsupported. Governance structures, however, often overlap and lead to significant gaps at the same time, leading to protracted displacement characterised by vulnerability, dependency and legal insecurity owing to continuous cycles of displacement and a lack of durable solutions.

The Policy Brief No.1 takes the example of an internally displaced person (IDP) in the DR Congo to show what solutions IDPs can access within the different regimes governing displacement.

The Policy Brief comes up with five central findings and recommendations

• Multiple actors and multiple frameworks govern displacement globally and at a regional level. Their mandates partially overlap and the categorisation of displaced persons, closely linked to the institutional mandates and definitions in legal frameworks, result in protection gaps for certain groups concerned.

• The governance framework of displacement centres on the objective of providing protection.Yet, protection in itself provides only part of the solution for individuals.

• Solutions are often lacking or are not tailored to the needs of the individual. People in protracted displacement will aim to find solutions on their own, making use of different forms of mobility and transnational networks.

• Legal and policy frameworks and humanitarian action in the field of displacement are not yet reflecting protracted displacement sufficiently.

• Individuals make use of various pathways to access protection and find a livelihood for themselves.