Refugee crisis means there are too many people displaced by conflict, violence and persecution. They have left their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs, often suffering human rights abuses and leaving behind family members or friends. They live in limbo for years, even decades, with little hope of returning home. The refugee population is growing globally at an alarming rate, with the number of refugees surpassing 41 million in 2024. The most effective solution is local integration, which can only happen when refugees are able to rebuild their lives voluntarily in their host countries. However, this option is becoming more challenging due to protracted conflicts and insufficient capacity to provide the bare necessities to refugees.
Another challenge is that the political climate has shifted, with a focus on destabilization. Host states that have experienced civil war or have security concerns are likely to see refugee populations as a threat to their own stability. Refugees may also share ethnic or religious characteristics with local populations that are in conflict, making them a target for scapegoating and manipulation.
The result is that refugee protection has become deeply entangled in regional conflicts and exacerbated fears of destabilization, particularly in the cases of the Sudanese and Ukraine crises. This has led to reduced legal protection, curtailed aid and more evictions. In addition, overwhelmed or hostile host states often reduce protection efforts for migrants and asylum seekers, whose right to seek sanctuary is guaranteed under international law.