By Ulrike Krause and Hannah Schmidt
In previous contributions to the research project Global Refugee Protection and Local Refugee Engagement, we discussed the shift in perspective away from humanitarian structures towards the analysis of individual and collective coping strategies of refugees and practices in the Kyaka II refugee camp and in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. The focus is on the role of groups. Not only social connections such as friendships, religious groups or economic cooperation are important here, but above all institutionalized groups.
As part of the research project, we have identified these institutionalized groups as 'refugee-led CBOs' (community-based organizations), i.e. organizations initiated, designed and led by refugees themselves, which are community-based and therefore function in a specific local context. These groups have so far received little academic attention in countries in the Global South. Alexander Betts, Naohiko Omata and Louise Bloom, for example, look at the entrepreneurship of such groups. They differentiate between the entrepreneurial and social engagement of refugees and show how the people in the groups create spaces in which they promote innovative ideas. Evan Easton-Calabria reflects on refugee-run organizations and their role in development initiatives, while Eveliina Lyytinen explores communities of trust, highlighting the importance of shared religious faith, everyday support and belonging, among other things.
Building on such discussions, we are interested, among other things, in how refugees form groups and what relevance these groups have for humanitarian refugee protection.
'Refugee-led CBOs' for the independent protection of and for refugees
To investigate refugee-led CBOs in Uganda, we took an exploratory approach in order to shed light on different facets and purposes of the organizations. Our insights show that these refugee-led CBOs can take various forms. They range from rather loose associations such as earmarked economic networks or savings groups with up to 20 members, to institutionalized organizations registered as NGOs in Uganda. The groups cover a variety of objectives - savings groups and economic networks serve the economic benefit of their members, while registered NGOs provide education and vocational training, among other things. However, the social component is of central importance in all group formations.
Our studies in Kyaka II and Kampala make it clear that refugee-led CBOs always represent special collective efforts, but also individual strategies that refugees use for their safety, their livelihoods and their everyday lives. Individual interests, such as having the opportunity to save, often correspond to collective benefits, such as lending to others. Therefore, refugee-led CBOs essentially turn out to be social support systems and networks that rely on the commitment of individuals and strengthen or even institutionalize over time.
These groups are not limited to certain areas, for example in reception camps, but can operate both regionally in the host country and across borders, as well as being shaped by past traditions in countries of origin. The latter is exemplified by local mechanisms for conflict resolution by elders and 'local leaders', who have an important function for and in the community. In the event of tensions between family members or in the neighborhood, for example, these representatives step in and help to resolve them. These mechanisms are not limited to the environment in Uganda; some refugees already used them in their countries of origin before fleeing. Katharina Inhetveen draws a similar conclusion with regard to systems of representation, which she describes as imported power structures.
Characteristic of the institutionalized refugee-led CBOs, which appear as cultural dance and singing groups in Kyaka II, consolidated savings groups or registered organizations in Kyaka II and Kampala, is their organized nature. They are characterized by regular meetings and are often governed by bylaws and hierarchical decision-making structures with positions such as a chairperson, deputy chairperson and treasurer. Through the statutes, the members of the respective organizations determine common goals.
However, it is not just about achieving the goals within the groups; the groups often embody a form of independent help for self-help among refugees. This is because individuals organized in groups are committed to the community. Among the institutionalized refugee-led CBOs, one example from Kampala is the organization YARID, the 'Young African Refugees for Integral Development'. As an NGO registered in Uganda and founded by Congolese refugees in 2007, the organization offers refugees in Kampala language courses and vocational training, thus providing them with direct support. There are also registered organizations in Kyaka II that are committed to improving the living conditions of the community. Two youth initiatives can be cited as examples: The group 'Live Green Live In Wealth' aims to improve the environment sustainably and provide firewood. The group 'KITAD' aims to expand school education in the refugee camp by providing information and translations for refugees and promoting a vocational school. Israel Katembo also reported on KITAD in his article.
'Refugee-led CBOs' as actors in refugee protection
In our research project Global refugee protection and local refugee engagement , another important question is what role refugee-led CBOs play in humanitarian refugee protection and how they cooperate with humanitarian and governmental organizations. In principle, host countries and humanitarian organizations are responsible for refugee protection. However, by advocating for their support and protection individually and collectively in these groups, refugees become important actors in refugee protection. It is precisely this aspect that has rarely been considered in research to date.
In addition to insights into the engagement of refugees in groups, our empirical findings from Uganda also provide indications of the link to humanitarian institutions in refugee protection. The refugee-led CBOs do not only exist on a short-term basis, but can grow and become institutionalized over time. As a result, people advocate for their living conditions and safety in and through CBOs, rather than passively waiting for external humanitarian institutions to help them. Thus, refugee-led CBOs and traditional humanitarian institutions of refugee protection are linked in that CBOs intervene at the local level to provide the support that people specifically need and that humanitarian organizations sometimes provide insufficiently or not at all. This connection is particularly clear in the example of YARID mentioned above. According to its statutes, YARID wants to do justice to the concerns and needs of refugees in Kampala and provide appropriate support.
However, our empirical insights also show that the cooperation between refugee-led CBOs and traditional humanitarian institutions of refugee protection remains insufficient. Although traditional organizations in Kyaka II sometimes rely on cooperation with refugee-led CBOs to promote their own interests, for example to disseminate information widely, cooperation remains asymmetrical. Refugee-led CBOs are partly dependent on financial support from humanitarian organizations, which they sometimes pay inconsistently and irregularly, which can lead to the failure of the groups. In addition, humanitarian institutions can try to influence the activities of the groups through the flow of funds, which speaks against the independence of the groups. As a consequence, humanitarian actors can exert power over refugee-led CBOs and change their original objectives or even use their idea for humanitarian purposes.
Conclusion
Based on the empirical data, it can be concluded that refugees engage in various forms of groups, ranging from loose associations to institutionalized and registered organizations. Through such groups, people can contribute to their living conditions and security. This ultimately means that these groups embody important institutions in humanitarian refugee protection. Finally, the project found that traditional humanitarian organizations collaborate with refugee groups, but the current approach and extent of such collaborations leave room for intensification to further strengthen opportunities for refugees and humanitarian protection.
This article was first published on L.I.S.A. SCIENCE PORTAL GERDA HENKEL FOUNDATION. Thank you for the permission to repost.
About the authors
Ulrike Krause is Junior Professor for Refugee and Displacement Studies at the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (IMIS) and the Institute for Social Sciences at the University of Osnabrück and affiliated Research Associate at the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on humanitarian refugee protection, the conflict-refugee nexus, resilience, gender and violence as well as knowledge production and postcolonial research with a regional focus on Africa, especially East Africa.
Hannah Schmidt is a PhD student in the research project "Global Refugee Protection and Local Refugee Engagement. Scope and Limits of the Agency of Refugee-led Community-based NGOs" (funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation) at the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (IMIS) and the Institute for Social Sciences at the University of Osnabrück.
