Across the world, people are fleeing violence and poverty. They’re trying to rebuild their lives, but they are often met with barriers — including unequal treatment and public policies that put their families in harm’s way. This is what we call a refugee crisis.
When a crisis arises, countries have the choice of engaging in different ways with the issue. For example, a country with security interests in the region may view displacement in strategic terms, focusing on how refugees fit into the larger political relationship with refugee-sending and -hosting states. On the other hand, a state with little to no connection to the conflict may ignore it entirely and only engage with refugee issues at the humanitarian level.
The underlying cause of displacement is usually complex and can include a range of factors: poverty, conflict and violence; violations of human rights, such as discrimination against people with disabilities or sexual minorities; and the threat to survival because of environmental catastrophes, to name just a few. Refugees often struggle with a variety of problems, including limited access to employment and education and the risk of exploitation by traffickers.
The good news is that the response to displacement can be both efficient and empowering, especially when refugees are empowered with the power of choice and supported by community sponsorship programmes. In this article, Brookings Centennial Scholar Bruce Katz and Jessica Brandt explain how cities can take a lead role in these efforts.