Mr President,
Norway thanks the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons for his relentless advocacy for the plight of IDPs, as is well documented in his latest report.
As the report points out, at the end of 2014, there were 38 million persons displaced by conflict, generalized violence and human rights violations, and 11 million were newly displaced during that year. This represented an overall increase of 4.7 million people compared with 2013, when 33.3 million were internally displaced. This is alarming, and shows the importance of this mandate and the need for more urgent attention from the international community, and a stronger and more comprehensive approach. If the situation of the IDPs is not properly addressed, they will be tomorrow´s refugees. Access to education, health, security and other basic services is crucial.
It is striking and concerning that, according to Mr. Beyani’s report, some 60 per cent of the newly displaced were in five countries: Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria. The international community has a responsibility to agree on political solutions. Humantiarian aid cannot provide the long term solution for IDPs.
The Norwegian government has been a strong supporter of the mandate from the beginning and has done its best to raise the agenda internationally. Last year Norway facilitated the negotiations of the resolution on assistance and protection to IDPs in the UN General Assembly. The mandate holder has provided substantive and substantial input to the international discourse, and the resolutions in New York. At this session of the Human Rights Council, we strongly support the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, and the efforts of the main sponsors of that resolution.
Finally, as this is the last report submitted to the Council by the present mandate holder Mr. Chaloka Beyani, we would like to put on record our gratitude and appreciation for Mr. Beyani’s very important and tireless efforts to protect and promote the rights of IDPs. We will carefully examine the conclusions and his recommendations on the way forward.
Thank you