Protracted internal displacement in Europe: current trends and ways forward

Some 2.5 million people are internally displaced in Europe in 2009. They are in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Turkey. Most fled their homes more than 15 years ago as a result of violence and armed conflict, and are living in situations of protracted displacement. Over time, many have become marginalised and have been unable to improve their situation. While the vulnerabilities of these internally displaced people (IDPs) are sometimes the same as the local population, many IDPs still need assistance to overcome problems related to their displacement, concerning housing, jobs, documents and property, as well as access to psychosocial support.

The summary and recommendations