Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses the harms created by the current arrangements of the refugee regime and the background political constraints that make their elimination so difficult. It presents a different perspective on the harms caused by current arrangements and what is needed to remedy those harms, even if it is not possible to eliminate them entirely because of the background political constraints. The majority of the world’s refugees remain for years, often decades, sometimes generations, in refugee camps or informal settlements. Roughly 60% of refugees move to urban areas with limited aid from the international community, where 85% live in private accommodation and the remaining 15% live in planned and managed camps. The other 40% live in rural areas and, for the most part, in some kind of camp setting.