Across the globe, people are fleeing violence, conflict, human rights violations and severe poverty. They are seeking safety and a better future for themselves and their families. Many make dangerous, life-altering journeys with few resources and little hope. In their efforts to find safety and protection, they face exploitation, discrimination and racism along the way.
The most common reason for large-scale displacement is war or other violent conflict. But other calamities, such as natural disasters and severe poverty, also force people to leave their homes. Refugee crises are often deeply entwined with regional instability, and refugee and displaced populations exacerbate concerns about destabilization in host countries and neighboring regions. Policymakers too often view refugee protection and state stability as unrelated or even opposing factors. The result is often an approach that focuses on removing refugees from conflict zones, rather than solving the underlying causes of conflict.
Refugees face numerous challenges in their new lives, including limited access to food, education and health care. They are at increased risk of exploitation and abuse in their places of asylum, where they are often not allowed to work or to build social networks. They are forced to make impossible choices for themselves and their families, such as skipping meals or sending children out to work to support themselves.
Ultimately, a solution to the global refugee crisis must include local integration that allows displaced communities to become part of their host societies and start building the lives they desire. This option, promoted by humanitarian agencies and endorsed by Western governments, can help to reduce the desperation that leads displaced people to attempt perilous journeys in rickety boats or to seek settlement in other countries.