Meeting the SDGs: Linking Development Cooperation to Humanitarian
Responses and Comprehensive Solutions for Refugees and Migrants
With the continuing rise of narratives of exclusion directed towards
refugees and migrants, what lessons or initiatives from civil society
organizations in developing countries can be employed to promote greater
social cohesion and inclusion in refugee-receiving countries?
By Eunice Ndonga-Githinji
Executive Director
Refugee Consortium of Kenya
Content
• Context
• CSO Lessons on:
1. Elements that contribute to a more positive public
portrayal and opinion of refugees to improve
social cohesion
2. Community based and individual self-protection
strategies by refugees
3. Role of international and national actors in
ensuring refugee programming is more
sustainable and enhances opportunities for
integration and inclusion
Context
• The Eastern and horn of Africa region has experienced protracted
conflicts for many years often resulting in large scale forced
displacements. It hosts an estimated 3.3 million refugees with 11
million internally displaced persons (IDPs).
• Kenya has hosted thousands of refugees for over 20 years -mainly
from Somalia, Ethiopia, S. Sudan, DR Congo, Rwanda, Eritrea, and
Uganda among others-can have long-term impact on hosting
communities, including tensions and conflicts
• Globally, more and more utterances of exclusion being seen,
including increased linkage of refugees to general insecurity and
terrorism in particular- this is likely to breed xenophobia,
discrimination and intolerance
• Kenya uses encampment policy to manage refugees- protracted
nature of the camps with limited durable solutions
• Resettlement quotas are limited and local integration has not been
an option
What elements can contribute to a more positive public portrayal and opinion
of refugees improving social cohesion between refugees and host
communities? How can various stakeholders facilitate this process?
• Common and effective messaging – create good understanding
of the exact profile of refugees and the driving factors by
humanitarian actors, CSOs, government and the media;
• Countering xenophobic attitudes- highlighting refugee human
interest stories to portray positive narratives about refugeessocial media platforms, mainstream media, training of key actors
such as media and government officials on refugee rights and
obligations, sensitizing the general public (CSOs, UNHCR, INGOs)
• Empowerment of refugees through appropriate skills to build/
strengthen their resilience and contribute to their well- being
and that of host communities-education, health, livelihood
opportunities.
• Full and deliberate engagement of refugees and host
communities as key players – not just passive recipients
Cont’d
• Training of refugees on rights and obligations-important in
ensuring increased inclusion and reduced conflict with the
law -CSOs, UNHCR, INGOs etc.
• Training law enforcement and judicial officials on refugee
rights and refugee management-reduces police harassment,
arbitrary detention etc
• Highlighting skills/potential that refugees’ have- make host
communities aware of the skills, expertise/experiences that
refugees –skills mapping-CSOs, government, UNHCR etc.
• Integrating refugees in County/local government
development plans- to CSOs advocate for integrated
approach to programming for host and refugees.
• Private sector involvement –more services available to both
refugees and host communities
To what extent can community based and individual self-protection
strategies by refugees themselves provide the degree of safety, security
and dignity that they need and are entitled to?
Refugees do and can apply various strategies to promote self
safety, security and dignity. Humanitarian actors can build on
this to promote more protection.
• Forming CBOs and groups-helps them speak with one voice;
generate resources and boost resilience-; infusing
membership from host community boosts cohesion/ sense of
security.
• Deliberately pursuing economic and social integration in
host countries- some refugees have started small businesses,
intermarried with locals etc.
Community based and individual self protection
strategies cont’d
• Involvement in community policing initiatives (sharing
information with relevant security personnel) through their
leadership structures-religious leaders, elders, youth groups,
community based protection monitors etc.
• Pursuing education opportunities
Challenges
• Inadequate laws to support local integration and promotion
of refugee rights in general
• Unfriendly policies eg. Encampment policies which restrict
freedom of movement and hence economic opportunities
• Poverty and lack of decent livelihoods
• Exposure to abuse and exploitation
• Poor collaboration/ coordination with various actors
including government.
How can international and national actors best engage with refugee
communities and their representatives to make programming for refugees
more sustainable and enhance their opportunities for integration and
inclusion?
• Working in collaboration with refugee leadership structures,
organized groupings such as CBOs, youth groups and women
groups -views incorporated in programming.
• Leverage NGO capacity to advocate with national and local
government systems to develop appropriate policies and laws
that promote protection of refugees in accordance with
international instruments, -advocacy around the amendment of
Kenya’s refugee bill 2016; legal awareness
• Direct national resources and international financing towards
national and local systems that improve services and opportunities
for refugees and host communities-more understanding of
context.
International and national actors engagement cont’d
• Direct financing of national actors so that they play a central role in
the programming and decision making -in a timely and predictable
manner.
• Promote increased durable solutions for refugees, including
promoting predictable responsibility sharing.
• Incorporate lessons learnt from previous humanitarian
emergencies –multiyear programming to encourage local
integration
• Infuse development programming to humanitarian action to
promote inclusion and local integration
• Strengthen skills training and support for refugees to encourage
local integration
Thank you