Urban refugee

An urban refugee is a refugee who decided or was obliged for some reasons to settle in an urban area of the country where he or she fled to or found asylum rather than in refugee camp. More than half (58%)[1] of the world refugee population under UNHCR mandate now lives in urban settings. In 2009, around 5.5 million people were considered as "urban refugees". Such statistics do not include the many refugees who live clandestinely or those who did not register with UNHCR. "Urban refugee" is not a recognized legal term, even in the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

Although little is known about their demographic data, urban refugees are believed to be among the most vulnerable groups in low income countries. According to UNHCR, the urban refugee population worldwide is very diverse, comprising a large number of women, children, and older people who have particular protection challenges.

The urban refugee population face specific protecting needs attendant to urban environments: they are invisible, keep a low profile and thus do not receive sufficient assistance. They crucially lack access to services, health, education and are often confronted to xenophobic attitudes in their country of asylum.

The overwhelming majority of refugees trapped in urban areas are to be found in the poorest and more conflict-affected regions of the world. Africa and Asia concentrate the highest number of urban refugee populations. Some war-affected countries host a huge number of both urban internally displaced people and refugees in capital cities (such as Kampala or Khartoum), where the intensity of the conflict is less than in rural areas. Urban refugees are also to be found in the main cities of their country of origin: after protracted exile in urban settings, many returnees prefer settling back in cities and towns of their own country upon return.

Notable urban refugee settlements[2]

References

  1. ↑ http://urban-refugees.org/
  2. ↑ unless additional sources given, information is taken from UNHCR Statistical Yearbook 2013: http://www.unhcr.org/54cf9bc29.html
  3. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/iraqi-refugees-in-syria-feel-new-strains-of-war/2013/04/09/4f5cd784-9ee8-11e2-a941-a19bce7af755_story.html
  4. ↑ http://www.fmreview.org/FMRpdfs/FMR27/50.pdf
  5. ↑ http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home/opendocPDFViewer.html?docid=4d5511209&query=nairobi
  6. ↑ https://www.rescue-uk.org/what-we-do/urban-refugees
  7. ↑ http://www.state.gov/j/prm/funding/fy2015/240479.htm
  8. ↑ http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/bleak-outlook-nepal-urban-refugees-151123110438884.html

External links


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