A/HRC/56/47
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
1 July 2024
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Fifty-sixth session
18 June–12 July 2024
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Planned relocations of people in the context of disasters and
the adverse effects of climate change
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally
displaced persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur*
Summary
In the present report, submitted to the Human Rights Council pursuant to
Council resolution 50/6, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally
displaced persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur, describes the activities undertaken in
fulfilment of her mandate during the reporting period and since her previous report
to the General Assembly (A/78/245). She also presents a thematic study on the
planned relocation of people in the context of disasters and the adverse effects of
climate change.
The Special Rapporteur concludes that relocations may become increasingly
inevitable as areas of origin disappear or become uninhabitable. Planned
relocations, whether anticipatory or responsive, should be a last resort, used only
when sustaining settlements is impossible. In the context of disasters and the
adverse effects of climate change, planned relocations can endanger a wide range
of human rights and have profound social and cultural consequences. When all
options are exhausted, well-planned, financed and implemented planned
relocations that prioritize community needs can mitigate displacement risks,
protect human rights from the start and lay the foundation for durable solutions.
This requires a government-led whole-of-society approach with human rightsbased frameworks in accordance with international human rights norms and
standards.
* The present report was submitted to the conference services for processing after the deadline so as to
include the most recent information.
GE.24-11873 (E)