Durable solutions
When the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) was founded in 1950, it was given a three-year mandate to provide international protection and permanent solutions for refugees displaced after World War II in Europe. Since 1950, conflicts and displacement around the world have increased significantly. In line with this, the UNHCR’s mandate was extended and its work to find permanent, or durable, solutions has continued. Durable solutions are achieved when an individual has moved from refugee status to a permanent legal status and has access to fundamental rights.
The three traditional durable solutions are voluntary repatriation, resettlement or local integration. However, other solutions have also arisen in the past decades, commonly referred to as complementary pathways. This Explainer provides an overview of the recognised solutions for refugees.
Voluntary repatriation
Voluntary repatriation is where a refugee makes the decision to voluntarily return to their country of origin. The key principles of this solution are voluntariness, which involves free choice and a well-informed decision, and the guarantee of legal, physical and material safety upon return. This is often seen as the most desirable long-term solution for refugees and for the wider international community, provided that the conditions have improved, and their safety is guaranteed. International organisations work with host governments to facilitate returns. In 2022, the UNHCR reported that 339,300 refugees voluntarily returned to 38 countries of origin.
Resettlement
Resettlement is where a refugee leaves the country of asylum and legally settles in another country on a stable, permanent basis. Resettlement is usually a solution for vulnerable refugees who face urgent or specific risks in their country of asylum and who cannot return to their country of origin. The UNHCR submits individuals for resettlement under seven categories; such as ‘women and girls at risk’ and ‘legal and/ or physical protection needs’. For example, a female survivor of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) may be eligible for resettlement as a ‘woman at risk’ if she is not receiving adequate support or treatment in the country of asylum. Countries may also have criteria for resettlement, and they may prioritise refugees of specific nationalities or from certain regions.
The UNHCR projects that over 2 million people are in need of resettlement in 2023. However, only around 7% of refugees in need of resettlement will be resettled. Australia’s resettlement quota is currently 13,750 places per year, with a further 4,125 places for refugees from Afghanistan included in the 2022-2023 quota. Resettlement is seen as an important tool for international responsibility-sharing and support for countries hosting large numbers of refugees. However, in practice, the number of refugees in need of resettlement far outweighs the places available for resettlement.
Local integration
For refugees who cannot safely return home and for whom resettlement is not an option, they must settle and integrate in their country of asylum. Local integration involves the progressive realisation of more rights for refugees in the country of asylum, culminating when the individual receives citizenship. In practice, most refugees remain in precarious and unsustainable conditions in their country of asylum, as 76% of refugees are hosted by low-and-middle income countries.
Complementary pathways
Complementary pathways are safe and regulated avenues for persons in need of international protection to lawfully move to a third country, either temporarily or permanently. Some examples of complementary pathways include labour mobility programs, education pathways, family reunification and community sponsorship programs. These complement the traditional durable solutions and recognise that growing numbers of displacement require a more diverse toolkit to provide solutions. Refugees can try and access these alternative pathways directly using publicly available information, to find solutions.
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Last updated 30 July 2023