UN expert calls for action as Marshall Islands faces dual displacement crisis
October 31, 2024
GENEVA (ILO News) – The Marshall Islands is facing a dual displacement crisis that requires urgent action, a United Nations human rights expert has warned.
In a report published today, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons,Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, said that the Marshall Islands is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change. The country is already experiencing the effects of sea level rise, coastal erosion, and extreme weather events, which are displacing people from their homes and livelihoods.
“The Marshall Islands is facing a dual displacement crisis, with people being displaced both by the impacts of climate change and by development projects,” Jimenez-Damary said. “This is having a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of the Marshallese people.”
The Special Rapporteur noted that the Marshall Islands is a small island nation with a population of just over 50,000 people. The country has limited resources and is heavily dependent on international aid. This makes it particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Jimenez-Damary said that the Marshallese government has taken some steps to address the displacement crisis, but more needs to be done. She called on the international community to provide financial and technical assistance to the Marshall Islands to help it cope with the impacts of climate change and displacement.
“The Marshall Islands is a microcosm of the global displacement crisis,” Jimenez-Damary said. “The international community must act now to help the Marshallese people and other vulnerable populations around the world who are being displaced by climate change.”
The Special Rapporteur’s report is based on a visit to the Marshall Islands in March 2024. During her visit, she met with government officials, civil society organizations, and displaced persons.
Recommendations
The Special Rapporteur made a number of recommendations to the Marshallese government and the international community, including:
- The Marshallese government should develop a comprehensive national policy on displacement that includes measures to prevent displacement, protect and assist displaced persons, and promote durable solutions.
- The international community should provide financial and technical assistance to the Marshall Islands to help it cope with the impacts of climate change and displacement.
- The international community should support the Marshall Islands in its efforts to negotiate a binding international agreement on climate change that includes provisions on displacement.
Background
The Marshall Islands is a group of 29 atolls and five islands in the Pacific Ocean. The country has a population of just over 50,000 people. The Marshall Islands is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change. The country is already experiencing the effects of sea level rise, coastal erosion, and extreme weather events, which are displacing people from their homes and livelihoods.
The Marshall Islands is also facing a development displacement crisis. The construction of a new port and other infrastructure projects has displaced hundreds of people from their homes.
The Marshallese government has taken some steps to address the displacement crisis, but more needs to be done. The government has developed a national policy on displacement, but it has not yet been implemented. The government has also established a Displacement Task Force, but it is underfunded and lacks the capacity to effectively address the displacement crisis.
The international community has provided some financial and technical assistance to the Marshall Islands to help it cope with the impacts of climate change and displacement. However, more assistance is needed to help the Marshall Islands address the dual displacement crisis it is facing.
UN expert calls for action as Marshall Islands faces dual displacement crisis
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