Governance

JIPS is a not-for-profit, interagency service set up in Geneva in 2009 at the request of the United Nations’ Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). JIPS’ governance structure and its TOR have undergone several iterations since its establishment. This current governance document is the result of JIPS’ most recent evaluation conducted in 2023 covering the strategic period 2021-2023, and a subsequent review of JIPS’ governance which draws on the Good Governance Code and its dimensions of analysis, alongside consultation with the current members of its Executive Committee (ExCom). It was validated by that membership and came into effect as of 25/06/2025.

JIPS operates legally under the auspices of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). Operating as an independent interagency service, JIPS has a two-tiered governance body consisting of:

1. Co-Hosts – currently DRC and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)– who are responsible for jointly ensuring the overall effective governance and administrative management of JIPS with a particular focus on effective decision-making, risk, and control. They lend their organisational infrastructure to enable JIPS to function accountably and with minimal risks.
2. Executive Committee, who are responsible for supporting JIPS define and achieve its organisational purpose, with a focus on its continued relevance, funding, interagency coordination, service quality, advocacy, and communications. Alongside DRC and UNHCR, members include the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN Office of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs, and Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC/Norwegian Refugee Council NRC).

JIPS is headed by the Head of JIPS, whose responsibility is to ensure the sustainable and compliant running of JIPS. They are answerable to the Co-Hosts and are a non-voting member of the Executive Committee (ExCom), with administrative support duties.