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An urban refugee is a refugee who decided or was obliged for some reasons to settle in an urban area of the country where he found asylum rather than in a camp-based settlement. About half of the world refugee population under UNHCR mandate now lives in urban settings. In 2009, around 5,5 million people were considered as “urban refugees”. Such statistics obviously do not include the many refugees who live clandestinely or those who did not registered with UNHCR. "Urban refugee" is not a recognized legal term, even in the 1951 Convention related to the Status of Refugees. Although little is known about their demographic data, urban refugees are believed to be among the most vulnerable groups in low income countries. According to UNHCR, the urban refugee population worldwide is very diverse, comprising a large number of women, children, and older people who have particular protection challenges. The urban refugee population face specific protecting needs attendant to urban environments: they are invisible, keep a low profile and thus do not receive sufficient assistance. They crucially lack access to services, health, education and are often confronted to xenophobic attitudes in their country of asylum. The overwhelming majority of refugees trapped in urban areas are to be found in the poorest and more conflict-affected regions of the world. Africa and Asia concentrate the highest number of urban refugee populations. Some war-affected countries host a huge number of both urban internally displaced people AND refugees in capital cities (such as Kampala, Nairobi or Khartoum), where the intensity of the conflict is less than in rural areas. Urban refugees are also to be found in the main cities of their country of origin: after protracted exile in urban settings, many returnees prefer settling back in cities and towns of their own country upon return. ==References== UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR Policy on Refugee Protection and Solutions in Urban Areas, September 2009, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4ab8e7f72.html 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Urban refugee」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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