Responding to Urban Displacement: How Far Have we Come?

Displacement is increasingly an urban issue, with an estimated two thirds of the world’s refugees trying to survive outside of any formal camp.1 To respond effectively demands a radically different approach from that of the traditional humanitarian response which was developed primarily to address the needs of refugees2 in a camp or rural context and with infrastructure based on the idea of short-term displacement. While there have been welcome developments in terms of policy responses to the urban displaced and urban crisis more generally, notable gaps remain around operational effectiveness, partnership and coordination. In particular, gaps in evidence-based practice have led to challenges ensuring consistent and scalable new ways of working across the humanitarian community.

This year’s Ditchley Park Conference aims to move previous discussions on this issue forward3, to address these shortcomings and identify feasible alternatives and new ways of working. Over the two days our agenda will be driven by the goal of transforming our approach to an urban humanitarian response, so that the displaced and the host community (‘beneficiaries’) are; safe, skilled, and healthy, economically secure and empowered (‘outcomes’)4.
 

In preparation for the discussion, this paper consolidates what we already know about an effective humanitarian response in urban contexts. It first sets out the magnitude of the problem and the gravity of consequences if we fail to adapt how we work to this new reality and then sets out the challenges and opportunities this poses to our traditional response. Highlighting what we know about good urban practice, the paper concludes by considering IRC’s key principles around programming in urban settings and, finally, the fundamental gaps that still need to be addressed.