Who has responsibility to protect and assist internally displaced persons?
National authorities have the primary duty and responsibility to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to IDPs within their jurisdiction. (see Guiding Principle 3(1)) International humanitarian organizations and other appropriate actors have the right, and many argue the responsibility, to offer protection of and assistance to the internally displaced where their state is unwilling or unable to. Consent to such an offer should not be arbitrarily withheld by the state, and all authorities concerned should grant and facilitate the free passage of humanitarian assistance and facilitate unimpeded access to the internally displaced.
