The global refugee population reached a tipping point in 2012 when the Syria conflict began. Over the next few years, other crises in Afghanistan, Myanmar, South Sudan and Ukraine pushed the world’s total number of displaced people to record levels.
Large-scale forced migration can contribute to destabilization in host states and undermine peace efforts. In the worst cases, it can lead to violations of refugees’ legal and human rights and increase their vulnerability.
Often, these trends are driven by the wider regional security environment. Host states are more likely to fear the impact of refugee influxes when they share ethnic or religious characteristics with local populations involved in conflict. This is why they may curtail refugee protection measures and restrict access to work. The consequences are usually worse for vulnerable groups, such as women, girls and children.
The plight of refugees is further compounded by the fact that Western countries take up only a fraction of the burden. In addition, some governments exploit displaced people as bargaining chips in negotiations with third parties. Humanitarian organizations, refugees and sympathetic governments condemn the manipulation of displaced people for political purposes. This race to the bottom must end. It will require the rich countries to redouble their efforts to resettle refugees, and to ensure that all host states take up their responsibility to protect displaced people. Ultimately, the only way to avoid future refugee crises is to tackle the root causes of conflict and violence.
About the Author
