Tapping into urban refugee networks to deepen meaningful participation

3rd November 2023 – Nairobi, Kenya. CBOs and RLOs representatives participate in the forum to discuss Refugee Networks roles and their current state in terms of representation. (PHOTO: Edgar Otieno/ TheIRC)

In a bid to boost meaning participation of refugees in the planning, implementation and coordination of livelihood interventions, the Re:BUiLD Program held a consultative session in November 2023 with diverse stakeholder groups across Nairobi. The program brought together Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Refugee- Led Organizations (RLOs), and partners including the government’s Department for Refugee Services (DRS) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to deliberate on enhancing the effectiveness of the existing refugee networks and the ideal forms of representation for refugee communities in various forums and coordination platforms.

Current landscape and challenges

Refugee and host community leaders in attendance emphasized the importance of being part of the decision-making process from program or intervention design. Active participation from the onset, can lead to more relevant and effective policies and impact in programming. Participants stressed the importance of collaboration between different CBOs and RLOs appealing for joint efforts and working towards common goals to amplify voices and their collective impact.

The interactive sessions underscored IRC’s approach, reflecting on the sector-wide commitment and efforts to advance the meaningful participation of and accountability towards people affected by crisis in the of livelihoods services for the urban refugees and vulnerable hosts. Officials from the Department of Refugee Services (DRS) at the event commended the endorsement of urban refugee and host networks as ideal structures for effective engagement of refugees with governments and international partners.

Automated registration and certification for groups

Refugee leaders were encouraged to take advantage of the recent modernization and automation of government services at the State Department of Social Protection to register groups and upgrade to societies through the Community Development Management Information System (CDMIS) unveiled in September 2023. CDMIS is poised to offer equal access to government services for all people. It seeks to reduce bureaucracy, eliminate red tapes, and make services more accessible and efficient.

Joyce Mugure, an officer at the State Department of Social Services asked refugee and host groups to consider registering as societies saying this would enhance their scope and grow the network.

“I recommend that during the registration of networks, we consider registering them as societies. By doing so, it would enable you to extend your geographical coverage, in contrast to working as CBOs, which are often limited to specific communities. This broader registration approach would empower your networks to have a more substantial impact on a wider scale,” elaborated the officer.

3rd November 2023 – Nairobi, Kenya. Joyce Mugure – Department of Social Protection gives an update on the CDMIS platform that is designed to digitize Group Registration among other services. (PHOTO: Edgar Otieno/TheIRC)

The meeting provided a renewed commitment to strengthening efforts for the representation of refugee communities in various forums such as working groups. With a clearer vision of ideal representation and expanded reach, CBOs, RLOs, and partners are actively working to implement these recommendations, promising a future with improved representation and coordination that will positively impact the lives of urban refugees in Kenya.