The traumatic images of the past year — whether on the Greek islands, in Lebanese cities, or on the southern border of the United States — have refocused global attention on the protection and resource allocation failures that have left large swaths of displaced populations without a future or means of support.
In both political and operational circles, the need for a response to displacement that connects refugees with opportunities to return to a normal life — and mitigates costs for hosting communities — is not just an abstract nicety, but an absolute necessity.
Yet despite broad-based agreement regarding the need for a development-focused humanitarian response, progress on implementing this approach has been uneven at best.