Across the globe, millions of children, women and men have fled their homes because they are at risk from violence, war, extreme poverty, discrimination or human rights violations. They have little choice but to seek safety, shelter and a new start elsewhere. Many have lost their homes and everything they own.
The global refugee crisis is driven by a combination of factors, including protracted conflicts and weak state capacity to meet the basic needs of their people. The burden of sheltering today’s unprecedented numbers of refugees has fallen, with wild disproportion, upon a small number of countries. These are low- and middle-income states, often close to states in conflict whose populations share ethnic or religious characteristics with refugees. These hosts fear destabilization, and may restrict refugee protection measures or even refuse asylum.
As the world grapples with the fastest-growing displacement crisis in history, governments must work together to make sure that people who need help can find it quickly and equitably. That means rethinking refugee camps so that they become more like settlements, not just emergency-response centers. They must be places where people can learn skills, build livelihoods and regain the dignity that they have lost on their journey.
Governments should also invest in helping their citizens to be more inclusive of refugees and migrants, and combat all forms of xenophobia and racism. Blaming foreigners for economic or social problems fuels tension and anger and can lead to hate, violence and death.