English

There are many different stakeholders to whom an organisation is accountable. Sadly, accountability to donors, to the general public, to governing bodies and to headquarters (in the case of field offices) can easily ‘squeeze out’ accountability to affected populations unless active efforts are made to uphold it. Although all operations have financial or legal accountability requirements, there is no such obligation for accountability towards disaster-affected persons.

Voluntary repatriation has long been seen as the foremost durable solution to forced displacement and the solution that would benefit the greatest number of refugees. This perspective assumes that, once the original cause of flight is redressed, refugees will not only still identify with their homeland but also want to return. These assumptions are challenged, however, by many of the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamil Nadu, India.

Following the surge of violence in 2004, more than 2.4 million men, women and children in Darfur were displaced. Several hundred thousand of them fled to the southern Darfur town of Gereida, effectively tripling its population. While living in a camp setting in Gereida, these IDPs (internally displaced persons) had access to a government-run hospital that offered only minimal, often poor-quality reproductive health (RH) services, for a prohibitively high fee.

Freedom of movement is a fundamental human right and is central to the functioning of the international refugee protection regime. The very ability to seek asylum depends on the ability to move in search of rights that have been denied in the country of origin. In a broader sense, it is now increasingly recognised that human mobility provides an important means for people to improve their standard of living and to contribute to the economic and social life of their countries of origin and destination.

Guidelines and principles are important for policymakers but they are also important to the first responders.

I assumed my position as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Disability at a time when we have an enormous opportunity to bring about sustainable change in the conditions of all persons with disabilities, with particular attention to Africa and other developing regions of the world.

Invisible at the best of times, persons with disabilities are among the most neglected during flight, displacement and return. Due to communication or physical barriers, negative attitudes or other obstacles, persons with disabilities face many hurdles in accessing assistance and protection. They may also face a heightened level of disability during displacement, because of changes in their environment or lack of appropriate care and services. Moreover, they are often seen as passive recipients of aid rather than active participants with ideas, skills and expertise to share.

1999-2009 was the first African Decade of Persons with Disabilities, established by the African Union to encourage the full participation, equality and empowerment of people with disabilities in Africa. During the first Decade, the Secretariat prioritised facilitating partnerships throughout society;…

Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) in DRC have been implicated in perpetrating egregious human rights abuses, particularly acts of sexual violence, against civilians for more than two decades. These groups range from organised Congolese military units to small groups of armed militias from Rwanda and Burundi, to locally organised Mai Mai militias. Information emerging from the region underscores the pivotal role these groups play in perpetrating violence against civilians and precipitating mass displacement.