Standard reference

EGRISS International Recommendations on IDP Statistics (IRIS) (https://egrisstats.org/recommendations/international-recommendations-on-idp-statistics-iris/)

Endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission in 2020. Complements EGRISS IRRS (2018) for refugee statistics. Values also draw from IOM International Migration Law Glossary and the 1951 Refugee Convention / 1954 Statelessness Convention.

Values

Code Label Standard code Definition
resident Resident A person living in their habitual place of residence who has not been displaced. Corresponds to 'host community' member in humanitarian contexts.
idp Internally displaced person A person who has been forced or obliged to flee or leave their home or habitual residence, in particular as a result of armed conflict, violence, human rights violations, or disasters, and who has not crossed an internationally recognized state border.
idp_returnee IDP returnee A formerly internally displaced person who has returned to their area of origin but for whom a durable solution has not yet been confirmed.
refugee Refugee A person who, owing to a well-founded fear of persecution, has crossed an international border and been granted refugee status under the 1951 Convention, the 1969 OAU Convention, or the 1984 Cartagena Declaration.
asylum_seeker Asylum seeker A person who has sought international protection and whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined.
returnee_from_abroad Returnee from abroad A person who previously sought international protection and has returned to their country of origin, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.
international_migrant International migrant A person who is living outside their country of origin for reasons other than international protection (e.g., employment, education, family reunification).
stateless Stateless person A person who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law, as defined by the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.

Referenced by this vocabulary

  • EGRISS IRIS Expert Group on Refugee, IDP and Statelessness Statistics (EGRISS), 2020