In 2018, the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement celebrated their 20th anniversary (GP20). Following a call from the UN General Assembly to mark the occasion, in 2017 the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs (Special Rapporteur) launched the GP20 Initiative, a three-year, multi-stakeholder platform that focused on preventing, reducing and resolving internal displacement, irrespective of the cause. The GP20 Plan of Action focused on four interconnected areas of work: i) IDP participation, ii) national law and policy, iii) data and analysis, and iv) protracted displacement and supporting durable solutions.

This compilation of practices on preventing, addressing and resolving internal displacement presents insights, lessons, and conclusions with respect to the GP20’s four priority areas, drawing on 22 case studies shared during the GP20 Initiative. It provides examples of how actors have sought to tackle key challenges, particularly in the following areas:
i. Achieving sustained political will amongst relevant government authorities at all levels to address internal displacement;
ii. Establishing government leadership and clearly designated roles and responsibilities across line ministries and at all levels of government;
iii. Building effective partnerships and coordinated approaches between Governments, international actors, and civil society;
iv. Ensuring adequate data to inform responses and monitor progress towards durable solutions;
v. Effectively engaging IDPs, displacement-affected communities, and persons at risk of displacement;
vi. Meeting IDPs’ needs at scale, particularly with respect to programmes seeking to prevent and find durable solutions to displacement that include livelihoods, housing, land and property, and social cohesion elements;
vii. Anticipating the future impacts of climate change on population movements; and
viii. Securing sufficient and flexible financial resources, particularly when faced with competing priorities.

The compilation includes examples of practices and recommendations to address internal displacement in the context of disasters and climate change.