Displaced Somali Amina Yusuf* spent years in a Kenyan refugee camp struggling to reconcile to the gnawing thought of life passing her by without getting to see her sister again.
In 2022, a family reunification visa became what she describes as "the miracle we had been praying for".
Amina’s reunion with her sibling after more than a decade of being apart – and the opportunity to build a life beyond the boundaries of a refugee camp – illustrate how refugee protection is shifting from conventional humanitarian resettlement to rehabilitation in a broader sense.
Between 2019 and 2023, nearly one million refugees from eight conflict-ridden countries were resettled in 38 host nations through legal, structured migration provisions, including work visas, university admissions, and family reunification programmes.
"When I got the news (of the family reunification visa being issued), I cried for hours," Amina tells TRT Afrika. "I hadn't seen my sister in over a decade, and now we are back together. My children go to school, I have a job, and we feel safe.”
Lives transformed
Amina was among the 255,000 refugees who secured permits in 2023 alone, representing a 14% increase that surpassed pre-pandemic levels. It was also the highest number since tracking began in 2010, according to a new report released on June 10 by the refugee agency UNHCR and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The report, "Safe Pathways for Refugees", documents how regular migration systems used by millions worldwide are increasingly offering refugees a lifeline beyond conventional humanitarian assistance.
"Behind these numbers are refugees using the same systems that millions of people use every day to migrate for work, study, or reunite with family," says Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, UNHCR's assistant high commissioner for protection. "We don't need parallel structures; we just need to ensure refugees can access existing pathways safely."
The data reveals family reunification as the dominant pathway, accounting for 63% of permits, while work visas comprised 19% and study opportunities 18%. Germany, Canada, the US, the UK and Sweden were at the forefront, collectively pushing the world closer to the 2.1 million permit target established under the Global Compact on Refugees.
Jean-Claude Niyomugabo*, a Congolese refugee, secured a work visa to Sweden in 2021 that ended years of uncertainty in Uganda.
"I was skilled but had no opportunities in the camp," he tells TRT Afrika. "When I got the job offer, it felt unreal. Now, I support my family back home and even help other refugees find work."
His current role as an IT technician in Stockholm exemplifies how professional skills can flourish when barriers are removed.
Education has proven equally transformative. Fatima Abdallah*, a Sudanese teacher, obtained a scholarship in Germany through a university partnership programme.
"Education was my dream, but war took everything," she says. "This visa gave me back my future."
Persistent challenges
While stories like those of Amina, Jean-Claude and Fatima reflect significant progress, there are still obstacles that limit access to emerging opportunities.
Refugees face documentation gaps, prohibitive fees and complex visa processes that can potentially derail applications. Skills certification requirements further complicate the journey for qualified professionals.
UNHCR is pressing governments to streamline procedures, recognise refugee qualifications and issue machine-readable travel documents to facilitate mobility. Experts believe these practical reforms could expand access without requiring new institutional frameworks.
"If countries lift more barriers, such as skills certification hurdles, more refugees can rebuild their lives independently," explains Menikdiwela.
Dignity of choice
With displacement reaching record levels globally, the urgency for expanded solutions intensifies. While traditional resettlement programs remain crucial, broadening access to work, study and family routes could offer millions an alternative to prolonged displacement.
"Legal pathways are not just about safety; they are about dignity. No one chooses to be a refugee. But when given a chance, we can thrive," says Amina.
Her words echo what the UNHCR-OECD report documents – not just statistical progress, but the restoration of human agency and the promise of rebuilt lives.
*Some names have been changed to protect their identities.
