Leaving no one behind: internal displacement and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development

As UN member states adopt the new global Sustainable Development Goals, IDMC sets out in this briefing paper why internal displacement is a development concern, and how particular attention to internally displaced persons will do much to ensure highly vulnerable populations are not left behind.

The paper argues that to ensure inclusive and sustainable progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, member states will need to: i) support durable solutions to displacement, ii) pay particular attention to people facing the debilitating impacts of long-term and/or repeated displacement, iii) ensure that development projects minimise displacement and protect people who are displaced from impoverishment and marginalisation, and iv) improve national data collection and develop of indicators on internal displacement to ensure resources allocated where they are most needed.

The briefing notes that peace-building, the sustainable management of natural resources, disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation and adaptation are key elements of sustainable development, and that they are also vital in reducing the occurrence and impact of displacement, improving the resilience of families and communities and facilitating the achievement of durable solutions.