An urban refugee is a refugee who decided or was obliged to settle in an urban area rather than in a refugee camp in the country or territory where the person fled to. More than 60% of the world's refugee population and 80% of internally displaced persons under UNHCR mandate live in urban environments. In 2009, around 5.5 million people were considered as "urban refugees". "Urban refugee" is not a recognized legal term in the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. However, the UNHCR has adopted a 'Policy on Refugee Protection and Solutions in Urban Areas' in 2009.
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Urban refugees are among the most vulnerable groups in low income countries. According to UNHCR, the urban refugee population worldwide is very diverse, comprising a large number of women, children, and older people who have particular protection challenges. The urban refugee population face specific protecting needs attendant to urban environments: they may lack access to services, health, education and are often confronted to xenophobic attitudes in their country of asylum.
The overwhelming majority of refugees living in urban areas are to be found in the poorest and more conflict-affected regions of the world. Africa and Asia concentrate the highest number of urban refugee populations. Some war-affected countries host a huge number of both urban internally displaced people and refugees in capital cities (such as Kampala or Khartoum), where the intensity of the conflict is less than in rural areas. Urban refugees are also to be found in the main cities of their country of origin: after protracted exile in urban settings, many returnees prefer settling back in cities and towns of their own country upon return.
Reasons for living in urban areas
Reasons for living in urban settings rather than in refugee camps could be specific medical care needs that can't be provided for in camps, or higher than average educational achievements and aspirations, as camps don't provide much higher education opportunities. There is insufficient physical and material security in some camps. Especially certain groups of refugees, such as LGBTI refugees and women at high risk of gender-based violence, cannot be be sufficienty protected from other refugees in the camps. Or it could simply the fact that the state or territory where refugees fled to does not run refugee camps (e.g. Syria or Egypt). Some refugees leave camps in search of better economic opportunities in urban centres and to avoid being dependent on aid rations. Some even move back and forth between urban centres and refugee camps to get the best of both.
A disadvantage is that the UNHCR and other aid agencies cannot legally protect and support refugees dispersed in urban settings as much as in camps.