Without recognition, without assistance: Refugee-led responses in urban contexts

Public Seminar Series, Trinity term 2020

#ByRefugees: Strengthening refugee-led humanitarian response during the Covid-19 pandemic

This seminar series focuses on refugee-led assistance and protection in the context of Covid-19. It features panels of individuals whose work is shaping how we understand and support refugee-led responses during crisis. Their accomplishments – whether as practitioners, policy influencers, funders, or community responders – challenge conventional top-down approaches to humanitarian assistance. These approaches are increasingly important in the current context, in which traditional humanitarian capacity has been stretched and forced to adapt. Refugee-led organisations are on the frontline of the response, in both refugee camps and cities.

The series will explore how refugees are responding to the current crisis, reflect on how they can be supported by external actors, and consider the prospects for creating lasting forms of participatory humanitarian governance. The majority of panelists are refugees.

All seminars will take place over Zoom and will allow time for Q&A sessions with the panelists. The series will also be livestreamed on Youtube and recorded. 

Register online here 

Series Conveners: Alexander Betts and Andonis Marden (Refugee Studies Centre) and Shaza Al Rihawi, Anila Noor, Najeeba Wazefadost and Mustafa Alio (Global Refugee-Led Network)

Enquiries to Annelies Lawson (annelies.lawson@qeh.ox.ac.uk) 

Please note, all times listed are in BST (British Summer Time)

Seminar 2 

Without recognition, without assistance: Refugee-led responses in urban contexts

Bahati Ghislain – Executive Director, Kintsugi (Nairobi)

Robert Hakiza – Executive Director, Young African Refugees for Integral Development (Kampala)

Janemary Ruhundwa – Executive Director, Dignity Kwanza (Dar es Salaam)

What is distinct about urban-based refugee-led responses to humanitarian crises? And how are grassroots organisations in cities mobilising to address vulnerabilities associated with Covid-19? In this panel, three speakers in East Africa will share what they and their organisations are doing to support refugees in Kampala, Nairobi, and Dar es Salaam. Conversation will explore "what has worked" and "what hasn't" in each of these settings, with a focus on identifying how other actors can use their authority, resources, and networks to support local efforts. The seminar will last approximately 90 minutes, with half the time allocated to Q&A.