Summary
The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani, conducted an official mission to Haiti from 29 June to 5 July 2014, at the invitation of the Government and pursuant to his mandate under resolution 23/8 of the Human Rights Council. The objective of the visit was to examine the human rights situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country following the earthquake that hit Haiti on 12 January 2010.
The Special Rapporteur called for a transition from a largely humanitarian approach to a development rights-based approach, and for durable solutions for the IDPs along with the vulnerable segments of the population. A durable solution is achieved when IDPs no longer have specific assistance or protection needs linked to their displacement and can enjoy their human rights without discrimination resulting from their displacement. The Special Rapporteur stressed that the closure of IDP camps, to which the Government of Haiti has given priority, does not mean that durable solutions for them have been found.
One of the main obstacles in the search for durable solutions in Haiti remains the extreme poverty from which a large portion of the population suffers and which particularly affects those displaced by the earthquake. He also notes that the absence of a protectionsensitive approach to the issue of displacement, the lack of coherent urban planning and of a cadastre, and the instability which remains, in part due to poor rule of law, are major obstacles to durable solutions for IDPs. The Special Rapporteur insists on the importance of putting IDPs at the heart of the decisions affecting them.