Policy brief 17: Foregrounding displacement and evacuations in the proposed treaty on the protection of persons in the event of disasters

This policy brief examines the increasing challenge of disaster-related displacement and argues that the proposed Treaty on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters (PPED Treaty) should explicitly address the protection of displaced people. It contends that, as disasters force growing numbers of people to leave their homes each year, the treaty should better reflect this reality by embedding displacement within its legal framework. The brief advocates for a stronger rights-based approach that recognises displacement as a central consequence of disasters and integrates it into disaster risk reduction, response, and international cooperation.

The policy brief recommends four key amendments to the treaty. First, it proposes explicitly recognising the risk of disaster-related displacement. Second, it recommends acknowledging evacuations and planned relocations as important disaster risk reduction measures that can save lives. Third, it calls for explicit recognition of states' obligations to protect the human rights of displaced people. Finally, it argues that international cooperation should include assistance with evacuations and access to humanitarian and protection visas. Overall, the brief concludes that incorporating these measures would make the treaty more effective, align it with existing international frameworks, and ensure that the rights and needs of displaced populations are better protected during disasters.