Internally displaced people (IDPs) are among the world’s most vulnerable people. Unlike refugees, IDPs have not crossed an international border to find safety but remain inside their home countries.
Even if they have fled for similar reasons as refugees (armed conflict, generalized violence, human rights violations), IDPs legally remain under the protection of their own government. As citizens, they retain all their rights and protection under both human rights and international humanitarian law.
In 2023, more than 7 million people were internally displaced in Syria according to the 2024 Syria Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO)