City leadership for refugee protection and socio-economic inclusion

With 60% of refugees now living in urban areas for extended periods, humanitarian and development actors must tailor their approaches to the reality of the world’s towns and cities, and shift away from a traditional focus on camps and rural areas. 

The 2025 humanitarian reset presents a critical opportunity to align aid architecture with urban displacement realities.

This event was co-hosted by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and IIED, in collaboration with the Women's Refugee Commission, Refugees International and the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative. 

It showcased innovations from Nairobi and Milan, and highlighted the importance of empowering city leadership more widely, to achieve protection and socio-economic inclusion for refugees.

Participants heard presentations by refugee champions working within their local authorities – showing how cities around the world can respond effectively to the growing presence of refugees and displaced populations living within their jurisdictions. 

With most refugees now residing in cities and given changes in the international funding environment, there is a clear case for a change in strategy among donors, host countries and UN agencies, in support of local leadership. 

Ensuring that towns and cities are safe, welcoming and productive places for displaced people also requires increased clarity on the roles and responsibilities of local, national and international actors in refugee protection and inclusion.

Speakers

• Anh Thu Duong, Global Cities Hub (welcoming remarks)
• Patricia Barandun, SDC (chair)
• Susan Kimani, Nairobi City County Government
• Isabel Riboldi, city of Milan mayor's office
• Sajjad Malik, UNHCR
• Lucy Earle, IIED

Event coverage

You can watch a recording of the entire webinar below or on IIED's YouTube channel.