Masses in flight : the global crisis of internal displacement / Roberta Cohen and Francis M. Deng.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cohen, Roberta, 1940-

Contributor:

Deng, Francis Mading, 1938-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Refugees.

Migration, Internal.

Forced migration.

Humanitarian assistance.

Physical Description:

xxi, 414 pages : map ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : Brookings Institution Press, [1998]

Summary:

Since the end of the Cold War, increasing numbers of people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of armed conflict, internal strife, and systematic violations of human rights. Whereas refugees crossing national borders benefit from an established system of international protection and assistance, those who are displaced internally suffer from an absence of legal or institutional bases for their protection and assistance from the international community. This book analyzes the causes and consequences of displacement, including its devastating impact both within and beyond the borders of affected countries. It sets forth strategies for preventing displacement, a special legal framework tailored to the needs of the displaced, more effective institutional arrangements at the national, regional, and international levels, and increased capacities to address the protection, human rights, and reintegration and development needs of the displaced.

Contents:

2. Global Overview 15

Causes of Internal Displacement 19

Impact of Displacement 23

Internally Displaced Persons as a Special Category 26

Why Internally Displaced Persons Do Not Become Refugees 29

Statistics on Internally Displaced Persons 31

When Does Displacement End? 35

Regional Dynamics 39

3. Legal Framework 73

Applicable Law in Recognized Situations 77

Protection against Forced Displacement 85

Protecting the Particular Needs of Internally Displaced Persons 92

International Provision of Humanitarian Assistance 113

4. Institutional Arrangements 126

Mandates and Capacities of Operational Organizations 128

Coordination by the Emergency Relief Coordinator 143

UN Human Rights System 151

Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons 156

Gaps in the International System 159

Options for Institutional Reform 168

Steps to Improve the Current System 172

5. The Role of Nongovernmental Organizations 187

Selection of NGOs 189

Mandates and Policies on Internally Displaced Persons 189

Scope of Assistance Activities and the Need for Coordination 191

Improving NGO Practices 193

Protection and Human Rights Concerns 195

Promoting Durable Solutions 207

6. Regional Responses 213

Africa: Grappling with Sovereignty 214

Europe: Preventive Diplomacy 223

The Americas: Institutional Innovations 228

The Middle East: A Narrow Focus 232

Asia: Organizational Vacuum 234

7. Strategies and Recommendations 239

Preventive Strategies 240

Protection Integrated with Assistance 254

Enforcement Measures When Human Rights Abuses Are Gross and Systematic 280

Solutions 284

Appendix Proposed Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement 305.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 317-400) and index.

ISBN:

0815715129

0815715110

OCLC:

38390578