High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges, 2018
Protection and solutions in urban settings: engaging with cities
© UNHCR/Oussama Rhaleb
The eleventh High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection Challenges took place on 18 and 19 December 2018 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
The two days of discussions were dedicated to the protection and assistance of refugees, IDPs and stateless persons in urban settings, with a particular focus on cities.
More than half of the world’s refugee populations live in urban areas today, making city administrations and mayors some of the most important stakeholders in the delivery of protection and assistance in urban spaces.
The Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which was affirmed by the UN General Assembly on 17 December 2018, provides mechanisms for the engagement of a wide range of stakeholders in refugee response, including cities and local authorities.
The 2018 Dialogue was organised around the key areas of focus of the GCR: reception and admission; meeting needs and supporting communities; solutions for refugees, internally displaced people and stateless people in urban areas; future challenges and opportunities. In line with the comprehensive refugee responses promoted by the GCR, the Dialogue sought to broaden the focus of discussions to encompass both humanitarian and development perspectives on displacement in urban areas. In the spirit of a ‘whole-of-society’ approach, the Dialogue also provided an opportunity for different segments of society to showcase their unique contributions to comprehensive refugee responses in urban settings.
Summaries
- Summary report
- Summary of the roundtable on MENA
- Summary of the roundtable on sports
- Summary of the roundtable on solidarity approaches in Asia
- Summary of thematic session 1
- Summary of thematic session 2
- Summary of thematic session 3
- Summary of thematic session 4
- Summary of thematic session 5
- Summary of thematic session 6
- Summary of the roundtable on Africa
- Summary of the roundtable on Europe
- Summary of the roundtable on internal displacement
Additional materials
- UNHCR Policy on Refugee Protection and Solutions in Urban Areas
- The Implementation of UNHCR's Policy on Refugee Protection and Solutions in Urban Areas
- Ensuring Access to Health Care: Operational Guidance on Refugee Protection and Solutions in Urban Areas
- Urban WASH Planning Guidance and Case Studies
- Cash Feasibility & Response Analysis Toolkit
- Refugee Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion
- A Guide to Market-Based Livelihood Interventions for Refugees
Further background material
- IRC: Urban Refuge: How Cities are Building Inclusive Communities
- IRC: Public Service Delivery in Contexts of Urban Displacement
- IDMC: UnSettlement – Urban Displacement in the 21st Century
- Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat: Analysis of Solutions Planning and Programming in Urban Contexts
- European Commission: The Urban Amplifier – Adapting to Urban specificities
- OECD: Working Together for Local Integration of Migrants and Refugees
- World Cities Culture Report 2018
- ICRC Displaced in Cities
- World Bank: Cities of Refuge in the Middle East
- Global Alliance for Urban Crises: Forced Displacement in Urban Areas – What Needs To Be Done
- Overseas Development Institute Humanitarian Exchange Magazine: Humanitarian Response in Urban Areas
- ILO: Lessons Learned and Emerging Good Practices of ILO's Syria Crisis Response in Jordan and Lebanon
- UNHCR Policy Brief for the 5th Global Mayoral Forum "The Global Compact on Refugees and the role of cities
- UNICEF Policy Brief for the 5th Global Mayoral Forum "Local government leadership to reduce and address vulnerabilities of migrant and displaced children
- UN-Habitat Policy Brief for the 5th Global Mayoral Forum "Access to Adequate Housing: The Pathway to Migrants' Inclusion in Cities
- IOM Policy Brief for the 5th Global Mayoral Forum "Promoting migration health through city leadership in implementing health-related commitments of the GCM and GCR
- Cities Alliance Policy Brief for the 5th Global Mayoral Forum "Migration Management in Secondary Cities in Developing Regions and the Need for Financing Mechanisms
- Global Parliament of Mayors Annual Summit 2018 Declaration
- Brookings Institution and the International Rescue Committee: The Global Compact on Refugees: the Role of Cities
- NGO joint messages for the High Commissioner's Dialogue 2018