Durable Solutions for Refugees

A durable solution is a lasting arrangement that enables refugees to rebuild their lives in safety and end their dependence on temporary international protection. For refugees facing prolonged exile, three solutions are conventionally recognized: voluntary repatriation, local integration, and third-country resettlement.

The three durable solutions

• Voluntary repatriation means returning to the country of origin through a free and informed choice, under conditions of safety and dignity.
• Local integration enables refugees to settle in the country of asylum through progressive legal, economic, social, and cultural inclusion; it may eventually lead to permanent residence or citizenship under national law.
• Third-country resettlement involves transferring refugees from the country of asylum to another state that agrees to admit them and provide lasting protection.

Conditions for a genuinely durable outcome

These solutions are alternatives suited to different refugees, not automatic stages in a fixed sequence. A comprehensive response may pursue them simultaneously for different groups.

• The solution must provide effective and lasting protection, rather than merely relocating refugees or ending assistance.
• Decisions should respect refugees' informed choices, family unity, safety, dignity, and access to basic rights.
• The country of origin, host country, resettlement states, and international organizations share roles in creating viable solutions.