Right to a Future: Empowering refugees from Syria and host governments to face a long-term crisis

With no end to the conflict in Syria in sight, the four million people forced to flee the country have no foreseeable prospect of safe return. And as the impact of the crisis on neighbouring countries grows and aid dries up, the situation for these refugees is becoming increasingly dire.

This joint agency briefing calls for a new approach by the international community, including Syria’s neighbours; one which offers hope, safety and dignity to the millions of refugees, and gives them a chance to contribute to the societies and economies of their hosts.

Such an approach entails host countries addressing the legal and policy barriers that prevent refugees from building a dignified existence in their temporary displacement. It pays special attention to the issues of legal stay in their host countries and their ability to support themselves and their families better and to access services. For its part, the international community must recognize that refugee-hosting states cannot and should not take these necessary steps on their own. This presumes a commitment to providing stable and predictable long-term funding and investment in building the technical capacity of host countries to manage the displacement and its consequences.