Refugee camps cannot become cities without freedom of movement and access to employment, Lucy Earle, Director of Research and Strategic Influence at the International Institute for Environment and Development, said during the panel discussion "Housing as the Foundation of Crisis Recovery and Reconstruction" held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum 13 in Baku, according to Report.
"Placing displaced people far from cities and sources of livelihood is a fundamental mistake. Refugee camps are intentionally located as far as possible from jobs, arable land, and trade routes, making it impossible for them to evolve into full-fledged settlements. You can build something resembling a home in a refugee camp, but if people do not have freedom of movement and the ability to earn a living, that place will never become a city," she emphasized.
She also called for people affected by forced displacement to be integrated into the life of already existing cities.