What does “internally displaced person” mean in humanitarian aid?
An internally displaced person has been forced or obliged to leave home but remains within their own country.
What the figure or term means
An Afghan family displaced from one province to another remains inside Afghanistan and is not a refugee solely because of that movement.
IDPs retain the rights of citizens and may need protection and assistance.
Internal displacement is not a legal status identical to refugee status.
When the term affects eligibility, safety, funding, or program design, check the complete cited standard rather than relying on a short definition.
How to use this information responsibly
Humanitarian terms are useful only when their technical meaning is preserved. These explainers translate common language without replacing the source standards used by professional responders.
Organizations may apply a term under a specific policy, assessment framework, or program design. Read the cited standard before using a glossary page for an operational decision.
Check the underlying information.
Editorial standard: This page is reviewed by a person, sourced to Famidi records or authoritative references, and revised when the program or underlying guidance changes. It does not replace legal, tax, medical, or financial advice.