Technical briefing summary report: Treaty on the protection of persons in the event of disasters and disaster displacement

This summary report outlines the discussions and outcomes of a technical briefing on the proposed Treaty on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters (PPED Treaty), held in Geneva in March 2026. Organised by the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the briefing brought together representatives from governments, UN agencies, and other stakeholders to discuss the treaty's development. The report focuses on how the treaty can strengthen the protection of people affected by disasters, improve international cooperation, and better address disaster-related displacement as negotiations progress toward the adoption of a legally binding treaty. 

The report highlights broad agreement among participants that the PPED Treaty represents a significant opportunity to strengthen international disaster law and improve protection for people affected by disasters. Discussions emphasised that disaster displacement should be explicitly recognised in the treaty, with stronger provisions on the rights of displaced people, disaster risk reduction, evacuations, planned relocation, and international cooperation. Participants also stressed the importance of grounding the treaty in human rights principles, reinforcing state responsibility while facilitating coordinated international assistance, and maintaining active engagement by governments and humanitarian actors throughout the negotiation process. Overall, the briefing concluded that integrating displacement into the treaty would make it more practical, people-centred, and effective in responding to the growing impacts of disasters and climate change.