 Armed conflict and violence have always forced people to flee. By the end of 2017, some 40 million people were displaced within their own country. As the world is urbanizing rapidly, displacement is increasingly taking place in urban environments. But what does it mean to be displaced in a city? And what can be done to help? People's journeys are different. Some seek safety in cities from conflict in the countryside. Some move from one city affected by conflict to a safer city. Others move within cities at war, or it may be fleeing gang violence. There are different reasons behind displacement, but people's experience is nearly always one of uprooting and loss. Families often struggle to resume a normal life, in part because of their financial situation. But also because of a lack of legal protection. They often end up moving repeatedly. All this makes it hard to hold down a job and meet the basic needs of their family. And it can mean resorting to dangerous survival strategies, like child labor or engaging in sex work. Host communities are also affected by displacement. They are generous first responders, but this can become a burden when displacement is prolonged. Or when host communities are not supported. Another challenge people face is figuring out where to get the help they need. To access services and support, they must navigate the legal, political or social environments of the city. And despite urbanization being a reality for decades now, humanitarian responses often neglect people living outside camps, tend to lack continuity and fail to address people's specific problems. Urbanization, conflict and displacement will remain a reality. The people caught in the middle deserve a smarter response. To learn more, read our new report, Displaced in Cities.