Nairobi, August 21, 2024 – Kenya has made significant progress in developing a policy framework aimed at refugee and host community self-reliance, but challenges remain in accessing services and improving welfare. This is according to a new report titled "Building Evidence to Enhance the Welfare of Refugees and Host Communities in Kenya," which underscores the urgency of addressing immediate, mid-term, and long-term needs of both groups.
Kenya is the fifth largest refugee-hosting country in Africa and the thirteenth largest globally, with 774,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers from neighboring countries, primarily Somalia, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. The Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps have been operational since 1991 and 1992 respectively. Refugees have thus become an integral part of Kenya’s social, cultural, and economic fabric. A thorough understanding of socioeconomic conditions, needs, vulnerabilities, and potential of refugees and hosts is crucial for developing programs and policies that improve their welfare. Robust data supports Kenya’s efforts to adopt a humanitarian-development approach for durable solutions.
The new report draws from the Kenya Longitudinal Socioeconomic Study of Refugees and Host Communities (K-LSRH) conducted between June 2022 and 2023. It underscores the importance of enhancing service provision, self-reliance, and resilience as part of a broader strategy to address spatial inequalities in Kenya. K-LSRH is the first nationally comparable survey of registered refugees and hosts in Kenya.
Key highlights include:
Kenya has made strides towards a policy framework oriented towards refugee self-reliance including adopting the 2021 Refugee Act. Streamlining procedures for work permits, movement passes, and banking access can allow refugees to move where opportunities are available.
Demand-side solutions such as self-employment are crucial for addressing job scarcity. Both refugees and host communities cite job scarcity as a major obstacle to employment within refugee camps. Expanding access to finance, supporting microbusinesses, and establishing market linkages beyond camps can enhance effectiveness.
Addressing spatial inequalities through targeted development initiatives will enhance welfare: Refugee camps are located in arid regions lagging in development indicators. In Turkana County recorded the highest poverty rate while two-thirds of Garissa residents lived in poverty. Initiatives should support both refugees and host communities using community-driven approaches involving local stakeholders.
Strengthening household resilience to socioeconomic shocks will support sustained self-reliance: Shock-responsive social protection can provide immediate relief during crises preventing vulnerable households from falling deeper into poverty.
Addressing barriers to education access is essential for improving prospects for children from both communities: Strategies include tackling cost barriers offering accelerated education for older learners implementing targeted interventions for unenrolled children more resources are needed in national education systems.
Timely quality data on refugees is key to monitoring progress: Continued efforts by government humanitarian agencies development partners will provide necessary analytical foundation for informed policy decisions.
Improving legal policy framework important for integration: National sub-national laws policies should be harmonized consistently applied across spheres establishing robust monitoring evaluation framework crucial.
There is immense potential waiting to be harnessed with high aspirations suggesting that with right support they can move towards long-term resilience.
The report "Building Evidence to Enhance the Welfare of Refugees and Host Communities in Kenya" along with K-LSRH are products prepared under the Kenya Analytical Program on Forced Displacement (KAP-FD). KAP-FD is implemented by World Bank UNHCR Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at University California Berkeley funded by Government Netherlands through Partnership Improving Prospects Host Communities Forcibly Displaced Persons