Forced Migration Review: States of Fragility

Fragile states are risky environments. Many states fail in their
responsibilities to their citizens but those states which are
fragile, failed or weak are particularly liable to render their citizens
vulnerable. Failures of authority or legitimacy can lead to the
emergence of significant organised violence; the impact of this can
then be compounded by the failure of the state to protect its citizens,
especially minorities. Thus conflict as a cause of displacement often
correlates with state fragility, whether as a symptom or a cause of
fragility, and the ability of fragile states and their neighbours to deal
with displacement has become a key indicator of failure or progress.

This issue of FMR attempts to go behind the definitions, typologies
and indicators to explore some of the concepts and realities. The
articles that follow also look at a variety of cases where displacement
and state fragility go together or where countries are emerging from
conflict-related displacement and fragility. They also discuss some of
the humanitarian and development responses.