The number of people displaced by conflict and persecution in their home countries has reached 89 million, the highest figure ever recorded. At the same time, wealthy countries are tightening asylum policies and cutting refugee aid. This is creating a situation in which the needs of refugees continue to grow rapidly while hopes of any return to normality diminish.
People flee for many reasons – the increasing number and intensity of violent conflicts, poverty, bad governance and fear of persecution. These factors are often compounded by climate change, which leads to food insecurity, drought, increased salinization of water and soil, rising sea levels and the expansion of deserts. The resulting lack of livelihoods or hope makes people desperate and often leave their homes in search of safety and opportunity somewhere else.
Local integration – or resettlement – is an attractive option for some refugees. While the goal of this process is to provide long-term stability, it is not without its challenges. However, it is increasingly being viewed as the key to the success of global refugee protection efforts.
A key to local integration is helping people to establish roots in the new host country as quickly as possible. In addition, it is vital to help the countries of origin of refugees, which are usually the source of large movements, to improve economic conditions in order to reduce refugee flows. This can be done through well-directed investments, fairer trade arrangements and a reduction in the debt burden. It is also important to facilitate the return of refugees by providing bodies like UNHCR with unrestricted access to returnees, so that they can assess the circumstances in their home countries.
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