Attachments
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Framing Durable Solutions to Displacement in an Urban Context
As Somalia accelerates its path towards urbanization, displacement caused by climate change, conflict and natural disasters intersects with the growth of poorly planned and poorly built urban settlements, compounded by poverty, vulnerability, and the chronic stresses that rapid urbanization implies in many parts of the world. With this urbanisation of displacement, humanitarian and development professionals have been increasingly involved in operations within urban areas. As a result, there is the need for a fundamental shift beyond an approach to displacement bound by short, post-crisis timeframes, which does not consider, and often disregards, the historical and future needs of a city.
The lack of appropriate responses becomes even more apparent in a situation of protracted displacement. Interventions cannot be based on a standardized set of responses that do not consider the dynamic nature of protracted crises or the specificities that define them. While lifesaving action, protection, and livelihoods still remain at the core of any intervention in crises, it becomes equally important to address in a sustainable manner the complex root causes of these crises.
Especially in an urban context, targeting one specific group for assistance might also raise issues, as various groups (such as the host community) have similar needs, experience similar difficulties, and also need to be supported and protected over years given the volatile situations.
Recent displacement emergencies in urban areas – Bangladesh, Tigray, Ukraine – have shown how a displacement response needs to adapt its approach to specific urban areas. The debate on the evolution of the policy framework for response in cities has also been informed by the unprecedented increase in displaced population and their massive in flux into towns and cities.
As a result, the approach of the international community in recent years has been to closely link humanitarian relief to recovery and development. This is exemplified in the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular SDG 11 “make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. Its formulation highlights the “opportunity embedded in cities” to promote economic development along with peace, security, and protection from shocks and disruptions.
The New Urban Agenda adopted by all UN member States in 2016 further emphasizes the need to pay “special attention” to cities undergoing post-con flict transitions and affected by natural and human-made disasters.
How these policies and statements of intent are translated to ensure humanitarian interventions in urban areas fully harness the potential of cities and their inhabitants is yet to be clearly understood in practice.
This is part of a bigger thinking among international and governmental organizations. As UN’s urban agency, UN-Habitat is fully engaged into this endeavor, and many actual experiences and collaborations in the field are feeding the debate on how to develop common ground for its approach.