A/71/254 91. There are long-lasting consequences for failing to properly integrate principles of non-discrimination and the protection of minorities into disaster response planning. If minorities perceive themselves to have received lesser treatment during such disasters, this may fuel not only distrust in authorities but could actively contribute to fuelling future ethnic conflicts and tensions between the minority communities and other communities or the State. Indeed, and in particular in fragile societies where relationships between minority communities and majorities are already strained, relief and reconstruction responses must not operate as stand-alone natural disaster responses, but also always consider the broader human rights implications of their approaches. 92. Finally, while internal displacements due to disasters have traditionally been for short periods, their increased frequency and severity, including owing to climate change, point to more chronic situations likely to involve new, more prolon ged or definitive displacements — and requiring more comprehensive displacement responses, in particular taking into account the needs of minorities. Moreover, recurrent disasters, such as more frequent flooding for example, can significantly impact the resilience of the people living in disaster -prone areas, including owing to destruction of livelihoods and destruction of homes and ba sic infrastructure. I. Challenges facing displaced minorities in the search for durable solutions 93. Minorities may face particular challenges in the search for durable solutions, which can include returning to places of origin (for internally displa ced persons) or voluntary repatriation (for refugees) once crises or disasters have subsided, or alternatively settlement elsewhere in the country (for internally displaced persons) and resettlement to a third State (for refugees) in host communities. 94. In terms of return or repatriation, minorities may face particular obstacles, if they fled owing to violence perpetrated against them because of their minority status and the root conditions of that violence have not been resolved. Minorities may also be reluctant or unable to return home where, upon returning to their place of origin or habitual residence they have become even more marginalized because the conflict or disaster has for instance changed the demographics of an area. Furthermore, return or repatriation is often more difficult for those who have no land to return to, which may often be the case for marginalized minorities who may not have security of tenure over their lands. 95. Local integration and settlement in new communities can be particul arly challenging for minorities who are internally displaced persons and refugees, as they need to adapt to new environments, with no support networks, and may be victims of discrimination with host communities. 96. Although the resettlement of refugees to third countries from refugee camps makes up only a very small percentage of all durable solutions, there is also the worrying concern that certain ethnic or national minorities are routinely excluded from such programmes. 16-13193 23/25