The State of the World's Refugees: Crisis or Progress?

Abstract

This article analyzes the state of the world's refugees over the past decade and asks how it might evolve in the years to come. Starting with a brief discussion of the relationship between human security and forced displacement, the article goes on to look at the reasons why refugee numbers have increased so rapidly in recent years. The following section of the article examines the growing threats that exist to refugee protection and solutions, focusing on the declining commitment of states to the institution of asylum and the limited ability of UNHCR to influence their behaviour. The article next examines the recent steps taken by the international community to ameliorate the state of the world's refugees, focusing particularly on the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees. While recognizing that the Global Compact is in some respects a significant diplomatic achievement, the article concludes that the most progressive recent developments in relation to refugees are to be found in innovative approaches at the operational level, the engagement of new stakeholders and an upsurge of grassroots activism on behalf of uprooted people.