PRM Principles for Refugee Protection in Urban Areas

The United States, other donor governments, UNHCR, and other key partners all have roots in camp-based responses to large-scale displacement, but have increasingly engaged in urban areas. In fact, much of the work of the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) now takes place in urban or semi-urban contexts, in countries where no formal camps exist. However, the Bureau’s efforts to address the needs of urban refugees have not fully benefitted from the systematic sharing of best practices across populations and regions. To address these gaps, PRM recently established a Bureau-wide initiative to strengthen its efforts on behalf of urban refugees by drawing on best practices.