Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees: Foundation of International Response Author’s Name The Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor Name Assignment Due Date Introduction In the current global geopolitical scenario, the problem of an ever-rising number of internally displaced persons has gained international recognition as a burning issue. The term internally displaced persons (IDPs) refers to the people who are forced to flee from their permanent residence due to various intimidating circumstances to save their lives; however, these people’s displacement generally remains within internationally recognized borders (UNHR, 2024). Based on recent estimates, in 2022, the number of IDPs at the global level reached 60.9 million, which is 60 percent more than that of 2021 (WMR, 2022). This estimate necessitates the need to analyze the causes behind this displacement. Similarly, refugees are people who have crossed international boundaries out of fear of persecution based on religious beliefs, race, or nationality. Unlike the number of IDPs, refugees make up a large proportion of the people without countries; according to credible estimates, the number of refugees globally was 281 million in 2020 (Doust et al., 2024). However, regarding vulnerabilities to various dangers and insecurities, refugees and IDPs share similar fates. Even in Palestine, the question of the return of Palestinian refugees and their vulnerabilities has drawn the attention of the international community (Wangen, 2008). Even a panoramic view of the conditions and circumstances that force people to become IDPs or refugees reveals that, in most cases, armed conflicts and the associated threats to life make up the primary cause of internal displacement of people (Aristide, 1980). Moreover, an understanding of various personal and environmental aspects of IDPs clarifies that these people are exposed to several vulnerable situations, including higher mortality rates, risk of physical violence and sexual abuse, and deprivation of food and health facilities (Yazgan et al., 2015). Suppose one considers the example of the IDPs of Syria and Iraq. In that case, it becomes clear that the threat to existence caused by ethnic friction and devastating climatic changes made a vast majority of the Syrian population vulnerable to the threat of life (Béres, 2021). EIn addition to that, the onset of the armed conflict (Syrian civil war) in 2011 further enhanced these vulnerabilities of the Syrian population, leading to a rise in Syrian IDPs. Similar factors also triggered IDPs’ migration in Iraq. The reports and surveys conducted by international organizations, such as the UN and Amnesty International, also highlight various vulnerabilities of IDPs that force them to undertake internal migration. According to one scholar, in France, the issue of accommodating refugees has become a part of law reforms (Krulic, 2003). Furthermore, the crisis faced by Syrian refugees in Canada is another potent argument to support the thesis that armed conflict and exposure to various vulnerabilities are the prime factors behind the protection of IDPs and refugees across the globe. The Case Study of Syrian IDPs and Refugees Syria tops the list of countries whose citizens have become either IDPs or refugees due to the deadly civil war and other factors in various developed countries. In countries like Canada, the Syrian refugees have gained considerable prominence owing to their vulnerabilities and suffering (FMR, 2024). Since 2015, the Canadian government has accommodated approximately 45000 Syrian refugees (Government of Canada, 2024). This overwhelming welcome to Syrian refugees in Canada becomes a case study to understand how the vulnerabilities of refugees and IDPs compel international organizations and developed countries to provide them haven. The plight and suffering that Syrian people have been experiencing since the onset of the civil war in 2011 has compelled the Canadian public to invoke the Canadian government’s identity as compassionate and open to newcomers. Another factor that highlights how the vulnerabilities of refugees establish the foundation of their wholehearted protection by the international community is the news and details of their suffering (FMR, 2024). For instance, the news of the death of three-year-old Ayan Kurdi, a Syrian child who drowned while trying to flee Syria and settle in a safe country, triggered the Canadian public’s opinion in favour of Syrian refugees (FMR, 2024). Analyzing the factors that forced Syrian people to adopt the life of IDPs or refugees further reinforces the fact that their vulnerabilities make them worthy of international protection. According to an expert, even before the onset of the civil war, the political, social, and climate conditions had made the lives of the majority of the Syrian population vulnerable to life-threatening forces (Béres, 2017). He says, “Most of the country is desert, only less than 10% of the land is permanent arable land…… extreme temperatures, causing frequent dust storms and seasonal droughts” (Béres, 2017). Hence, other than armed conflicts, climatic conditions also made Syrian people highly vulnerable to the food and health crisis. The same expert also indicates how abnormal climatic conditions made the lives of the Syrian population almost unbearable. For instance, he mentions, “The four years of devastating drought have resulted in at least 800 000 farmers losing their livelihoods…some area’s agriculture has ceased to exist.”(Béres, 2017). Hence, this aspect of the plight of Syrian people further reinforces the argument that vulnerabilities to harsh or unfriendly climatic conditions also serve as a foundation for developing international-level support and protection for IDPs. The result of this devastating climate change was the displacement of a large number of Syrians within the country as they were exposed to food insecurity (Yazgan, 2015). This aspect of the Syrian crisis further reinforces the argument that the vulnerabilities of IDPs are the root cause of international humanitarian assistance. The Syrian civil war and its deadly outcomes is another convincing argument that explains how armed conflict and ...