Over the last nine years, conflict in Syria has killed more than five million people and displaced more than seven million others. People flee from war, violence and persecution for many reasons: some are victims of human rights abuses; some escape back-breaking poverty; and others are driven by climate change or natural disasters.
People who are displaced need shelter, food and assistance with their livelihoods, but they also need access to education, healthcare, work and income-generating opportunities. They are at risk of exploitation and are twice as likely to experience gender-based violence. In the absence of viable alternatives, they can become destitute and desperate – and a source of tension in host communities.
Governments must combat all forms of xenophobia and discrimination against refugees and migrants, which dehumanizes them, stirs up fear and hatred and often leads to violence. They should also fully fund humanitarian appeals and support countries of origin to provide safe, dignified asylum spaces that respect refugee rights to freedom of movement, legal employment, the right to self-reliance and the realization of other social and economic rights.
Policymakers must consider how to increase refugee self-reliance, including through the implementation of a community sponsorship programme, which brings together individual sponsors and families with refugees to resettle them in their communities. They should also work with host states to develop shared responsibility and a common approach to burden-sharing in order to prevent secondary movements. Finally, they should work to strengthen the global protection system.