Scholarly opinion is divided on the need for evolving a specific legal framework to meet the assistance and protection needs of IDP’s. One school of thought contends that the existing regime of international human rights and humanitarian laws offer a firm basis to enforce the accountability of states. Indeed, it argues that any attempt to produce a separate legal regime for IDP’s could undercut the extensive legal framework which already exists. The other school of thought believes that there is a need for a definitive legal statement of the principles and norms applicable to the IDP’s.
