Across the globe, more than 70.8 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Sadly, world leaders have turned their backs on this crisis and let the situation reach this point. They have not done enough to ensure that refugees can lead safe, productive lives in their country of asylum. Instead, they are being pushed to the fringes of society, where they are vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination. This needs to change.
The responsibilities of states, as set out in the 1951 Refugee Convention and the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, must be met. Refugees must be guaranteed freedom of movement, a right to work and education, as well as adequate living standards. In addition, they need access to affordable health care and housing. Refugees also need to be given a chance to become citizens in their countries of asylum, which not only provides them with legal status and access to social services but also helps them to integrate into their societies.
Large-scale displacement crises often become enmeshed in conflict and can exacerbate concerns about regional destabilization. Policy-makers tend to view host state security and refugee protection as separate or opposing factors, but they should be seen as mutually reinforcing.