Samenvatting

In 2020 alone, 40.5 million people were newly displaced by conflict and disaster, many of them being arbitrarily displaced. In reality this number is even higher as it does not include displacement by large- development projects or displacement of those that were already displaced. Preventing arbitrary displacement remains difficult as there is no coherent understanding of, or cohesion on, what prevention really means in the context of arbitrary displacement. This article, based upon the thesis of the same author, uses Van der Have’s four phases of prevention as a theoretical framework and utilises grounded theory method, conducting desk research complemented by in-depth interviews. This research represents the first attempt to develop a comprehensive synthesis of the practical and theoretical meaning of the prevention of arbitrary displacement for governments by looking at what specific obligations governments have and what measures they can use to prevent arbitrary displacement. The results showed that, although arbitrary displacement receives little attention, it is the only form of forced displacement that is considered a gross human rights violation. Furthermore, while a prevention-centred approach to arbitrary displacement might not be popular amongst governments as it could lead to criticism on their due diligence, it is essential if we want to hold governments accountable for human rights violations. This research proved that many measures can be taken to exercise due diligence and ultimately be prepared for any risk that might lead to arbitrary displacement. Additionally, this study developed a model that can be used by other researchers as a starting point for a preventative-approach to arbitrary displacement. Finally, future research could build upon this study to determine the indicators of foreseeability and conduct case studies on what exercising due diligence entails for specific countries.
This graduation research is quoted in the UN (2021) report ‘Human rights of internally displaced persons’ on p. 5. Report A/76/169.