Out of Sight, Out of Policy: The Struggles of Urban Refugees in Kenya

Abstract

Many mistakenly assume that the majority of refugees live in camps. In reality, most seek refuge in urban areas, finding safety in towns and cities. Over the past 15 years, the percentage of refugees who have sought shelter in urban areas has grown significantly, from around 15 percent in 2003 to more than 60 percent today.¹ Despite this geographical shift, policies themselves have not adjusted to meet the different needs of urban refugees and asylum seekers. Host governments, humanitarian actors, and donors continue to heavily prioritize and fund infrastructure for camp-based populations, creating a substantial resource gap.² In African nations, efforts have largely been concentrated on refugee camps, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) serving as the guardian of the 1951 Refugee Convention, which oversees the implementation and maintenance of the camp system.³ While refugees and migration issues dominate the media in the U.S. and Europe, the reality is that the majority of refugees reside in developing countries.⁴ Around one-third of those forcibly displaced are in Africa, including approximately 8.9 million refugees.⁵ In Africa, the protections established by the UNHCR and in international refugee guidelines hold greater influence in refugee camps than in urban settings. Urban refugees are often overlooked, and national governments rarely implement formal policies to address their needs. Instead, changes are typically driven by ad-hoc, local-level practices, meaning that municipal authorities, NGOs, or community initiatives respond on a case-by-case basis without consistent national frameworks, leaving urban refugees underserved.⁶ Urban refugees worldwide often struggle to access humanitarian aid, and African nations are no exception, where camp populations receive priority.⁷ The larger issue is not only that urban refugees are ignored, but also the disproportionate emphasis placed on camps. I argue that it is imperative for African states to shift their focus from refugee camps to urban integration. This is not to suggest that camps are redundant, but rather that more attention needs to be directed toward urban settings. There should be a shift to urban integration to better actualize UNHCR’s aim for refugees to become self-reliant. First, I will analyze why refugee camps are preferred as a policy. Then, using Kenya as a case study, I highlight the need for greater focus on urban refugees globally, and propose policy recommendations to improve urban refugee integration in Kenya and other African states.