Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-08-16

National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict-Affected Displacement

- It is essential to have a national policy on durable solutions for conflict-affected displacement. As such, the National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict-Affected Displacement has been developed as a result of an extensive consultation conducted with the relevant Ministries, national, provincial and district level stakeholders, UN agencies, civil society organizations and the displaced communities. The policy underlines the Government's commitment to rebuild the lives of the conflict-affected families using a rights-based approach. The policy emphasizes that ensuring durable solutions goes beyond resettlement, encompassing safety and security, access to housing, water sanitation and health-care and primary education, acquiring a decent standard of living, and access to livelihoods etc,. Further, when integrating such families into society, durable solutions should be provided enabling them to enjoy the same rights as other citizens, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, age, language, political belief, religion, cast or place of displacement, etc. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. D. M. Swaminathan, the Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, to adopt the above National Policy, was approved by the Cabinet.