With 120 Million People Forcibly Displaced Worldwide, UN’s Peacebuilding, Development Organs Explore Durable Solutions That ‘Go Beyond Humanitarian Aid’
Speakers Say Addressing Root Causes of Displacement ‘Only Way to Turn the Tide’, Calling for Investment in Prevention
Meeting jointly under the theme “The development and peace dimensions of forced displacement: Countries’ best practices in creating durable solutions”, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission today heard that addressing the needs of refugees and internally displaced persons requires a holistic approach that goes beyond the mere provision of humanitarian aid.
“Over 120 million are forcibly displaced, mainly as a result of conflicts and our collective failure at maintaining peace,” said Paula Narváez Ojeda (Chile), President of the Economic and Social Council. Over half of these are internally displaced persons, most forcibly displaced individuals remain in low- and middle-income countries and three out of four refugees originated from just five countries, she added. “The underlying causes, including those related to underdevelopment and fragility, remain unaddressed,” she observed. Further, vulnerable groups — such as women, girls, the elderly and children — face a higher risk of violence in countries of origin, transit and destination.
Stating that the current global landscape is “marked by numerous ongoing conflicts that continue to drive forced displacement”, she said that protracted crises in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan, and recent escalation in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza have uprooted millions from their homes. Addressing the needs of those displaced by conflict requires comprehensive strategies that go beyond immediate humanitarian aid, she stressed, urging focus on long-term development solutions that foster resilience, peace and stability.
Calling on the international community to “act urgently to tackle the root causes of forced displacement”, she said that, for their part, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission can ensure that peacebuilding efforts are enhanced by initiatives that promote economic and social inclusion — “essential for ensuring the sustainable reintegration of displaced populations”.
In the following panel discussion, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi similarly urged the Security Council to address the root causes of displacement — “the only way to turn the tide”. However, he observed: “But, that’s difficult given current geopolitics, and frankly, the Security Council’s performance in ensuring peace and security in the last few years has not been that encouraging.” In the meantime, he urged inclusion for those displaced — ensuring they have proper documentation, providing access to national services, involving them in the local economy and giving them land. “Not necessarily forever,” he added, “but until such time as they can go home safely or find another durable solution.”
Adding to that was Robert Piper, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Solutions to Internal Displacement, who stressed that — while the international community must improve its capacity to support and protect displaced persons — it must also “fundamentally re-think what we need to do differently to break this pattern”. Underscoring the centrality of the peacebuilding dimension, he said that, while disasters are displacing more people, conflict remains the main driver of long-term displacement. He pointed out: “If you are displaced by a flood, you are likely to get home in a matter of months. If you are displaced by a war, you are unlikely to get home for years.”
Awa Dabo, Deputy Head of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, echoing the importance of re-establishing peace and security, said that supporting reconciliation, socioeconomic rehabilitation, reconstruction and accountable governance is also important. “Investing in prevention is investing in sustainable and lasting solutions,” she said, offering examples from the work of the Peacebuilding Fund. In Mindanao, Philippines, it supported a project to address rising tensions through community dialogue and reintegration activities, and in Libya, it supported community consultations and established local peacebuilding committees, she said.
Providing another example of action on the ground was Elizabeth Moreno Barco, human rights defender and Coordinator of the Chocó Solidarity Inter-ethnic Forum. “In Colombia, peace means more than just a cessation of conflict,” she stressed — it means fully upholding territorial, economic, cultural and social rights. For decades, her organization has worked to build territorial peace and design strategies “to help safeguard life in our communities”. To the countries present, she called for creating holistic peacebuilding policies, ensuring reparations, upholding victims’ rights, implementing development policies to improve living standards, fostering education to allow people to develop skills and establishing mechanisms to assess progress.
“I spent my childhood mourning the ravages of war and the lack of access to educational resources,” said Korotoumou Katy Ballo, representative of the major group for children and youth, adding her voice to that call. She stressed that growing up during a civil war in Côte d’Ivoire and contributing to the reconstruction of her community showed her that education is not just a fundamental human right, but also a critical foundation for development and peacebuilding. Stating that empowered youth can transform communities from within, she urged the United Nations to ensure that the situation of the displaced “is not just heard, but acted upon”.
The Council then held an interactive discussion featuring various Member States, after which Sérgio França Danese (Brazil), Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, delivered closing remarks.
“Internal displacement should no longer be viewed as just a humanitarian or human rights issue,” he said, noting the broad consensus on that point expressed today. A comprehensive approach is needed that involves humanitarian, development, human rights, political and peacebuilding actors, as is improved understanding of the root causes of displacement and of who the displaced and their hosts are. “This is essential to identifying a more targeted and comprehensive approach,” he observed, adding that internally displaced persons’ long-term safety, security, documentation and freedom of movement are necessary to prevent secondary, repeated or cyclical displacement.
Further, he spotlighted the “real opportunities” for the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission to work together to facilitate solutions in several internal-displacement contexts covered by the latter. However, “we need to remind ourselves that, beyond our words, there are people who expect from us to deliver for them”, he urged. While noting that there is no “one-size-fits-all solution” — and underscoring that national ownership is key — he stressed: “We have a collective obligation to help countries find durable answers.”