The future of Humanitarian Crises is Urban
Humanitarian crises, manifest through displacement and disasters, are increasingly striking urban settings. And with more than 50 per cent of the world’s population now living in urban areas, there are many lives at stake.
The reality of growing cities, with existing deficits in infrastructure and services leading to marginalised populations, means that accumulated risks can easily tip into crisis. This risk is multiplied if additional pressure comes from a sudden population influx or disaster.
However, if the humanitarian sector is well prepared to respond in urban settings, and local actors are more aware of the potential offered by collaborative approaches with the humanitarian sector, this opens the door for more effective humanitarian response.
