Group Three SDG Research Collaboration Project Proposal

Transcription

1 Group Three SDG Research Collaboration Project Proposal Stephen Aeko, Kezia Campbell, Stephanie Craig, Oyedibu Oloyede, James Otieno

2 Background Information In 2015, there was approximately 65.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide million refugees and 10 million stateless people. 1 Of these people, 29% are hosted within Africa with situated in Ethiopia alone. Further, there were displaced people in Uganda with classified as refugees while displaced people were located in Kenya, with classified as refugees. Although traditionally very welcoming towards refugees, Kenya does not have clear policies and guidelines regarding refugees and is now moving towards shutting down some of its biggest refugee camps home to over people - by the end of This is because the Kenyan government sees refugees as a security threat and financial burden. The UNHCR estimates that more than half of the refugee camps in the world are unable to provide the recommended daily water minimum of 20 litres of water per person per day. 2 Low-quality water affects the health of large numbers of people, in a situation where there is a high risk of infectious diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea multiplying rapidly. The psychosocial stress of forced relocation, intense fear and hardship takes a toll on many refugees mental health too. Furthermore, refugees often struggle to integrate into foreign societies and are subject to police abuse, extortion, lack of access to employment opportunities and basic services as well as being discriminated against by xenophobic public attitudes. It is difficult for refugees in Kenya to create employment for themselves as they lack capital and credit and require a licenses from the Government. Whilst the Kenyan government in particular does provide the right to free primary education for all refugees, they are often unaware of their rights which results in these services not being utilised. Refugees are heavily present in Eastern Africa thus there is a significant need to develop appropriate strategies to tackle this problem- therefore more information around the on-the-ground realties and government strategies is needed. Project Introduction and Mission Centres for Refugee Research have already been established in both Kenya and Uganda at some universities. However, the issues they examine are not wide enough to deal with the multi-faceted nature of the refugee challenge, thus this project adds three new research pillars to their existing programs. The mission is to expand the scope of knowledge-building around this topic and strengthen the role of universities in upholding peace and building social integration with regards to refugees in East Africa. Additionally, the research is aimed at producing implementable outcomes which result in impactful change. The three project pillars we propose are the Economy, Environment and Peace-keeping. Whilst many studies on these areas have been conducted in the developed world, few exist in the developing world. In regards to these three areas, the project aims to fill gaps in the research, advocate for policy reforms, 1 WEF Report: 2 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). UNHCR. Accessed on August 2016

3 provide services to the refugee communities and foster social cohesion through public education programs. The aims The aims of this project are multi-pronged, including: Building knowledge about the refugee ecosystem with regards to the three specific topics in Uganda and Kenya, as well as contrast the situation between the two countries Building knowledge-sharing ties and strong networks between the two countries Lobby and assist government to develop appropriate country specific policies in the areas of the environment, employment and peace-keeping to strengthen East Africa s ability to deal with refugee Change public perceptions regarding refugees and foster greater social cohesion in East Africa through successful integration of refugees in society. Impact and beneficiaries of the project The potential impact of this project is massive and offers significant benefits to the implementing countries. There is a paucity of research on these particular topics in Eastern Africa. The data gathering and information sharing activities alone will be of great value to the public, policy-makers, NGOs and officials in the region. This would result in the implementation of more effective refugee policies and practices; and help to change the public attitudes towards refugees, fostering social cohesion and peace in the region. The research project has the potential to reduce the amount of human rights violations inflicted upon refugees, and assist them to become productive, economically active members of society thus decreasing the burden and drain they currently place on the economy. The environmental component is aimed at understanding and tackling the impacts on the natural resources in the relocation regions and contribute to the creation of resilient, sustainable ecosystems. It will also assist in promoting safety in East Africa through it s exploration of terrorism and refugees. In the long term, the centres aim to assist in avoiding the conflicts and problems that result in refugees seeking shelter in other countries, thus stymying the movement of people across borders and restoring peace in East Africa.

4 Project components The project is intended to become a part of the university structure through inclusion in the existing refugee research centres and continue on a permanent basis however, this initial pilot will run for five years at which point a M&E phase will be implemented. The project itself has four broad components, as displayed below: Uncover key issues with regards to refugees in relation to the environment, the economy and peace-keeping activities Influence government action in the three key areas Produce landscape reports of the situation in the two countries and identify what needs to be done Conduct surveys of refugees and the public Host students wishing to do their masters thesis on the topics Gather survey panel data on the refugees, the environment, the economy and peacekeeping activities and conduct analysis. Produce an annual journal in which the latest research can be displayed Lobby government for the necessary policy changes that need to be made based on the outcome of the research Assist them in developing and implementing appropriate short term strategies to assist refugees. Foster cross country collaboration and network building Public education & peacekeeping activities Share learnings, findings, differences and similarities between the two countries Host exchange programs for academics and students interested in this area between the two countries, not just between the two countries but for international scholars as well Share resources and knowledge between universities to ensure maximum operational capacity - especially as Uganda has stronger refugee systems in place to share with Kenya. Host a yearly regional conference which brings together relevant NGOs, academics and policy-makers together to discuss latest research findings and policy development Hold community meetings to share knowledge about refugees, their needs and how to best welcome them with the wider public as well as address the public s concerns regarding refugees Offer public education programs around social cohesion to address the safety fears and stigma around refugees and terrorism Develop a better understanding of the causes that force refugees to leave their home countries and strategies that can be used to prevent or reverse this

5 Business Model Organisational structure We have identified the following pillars as research gaps in existing operations at the refugee research centres. The project thus strives to add these three pillars and create an East African refugee research centre to strengthen the region s capacity to adequately provide for refugees. East African Refugee Research Network (EARRN) Location As mentioned, refugee research centres already exist in both Kenya and Uganda. In Kenya, Moi University is home to the Centre for Refugee Studies 3 which offers educational courses to students and the public in relation to refugee issues. It is focused on understanding the causes and consequences of forced population movement and promoting their social integration. Similarly, the Refugee Law Project 4 at Makerere University in Uganda focuses on justice, health, gender and conflict resolution issues in relation to refugees. This project thus aims to improve the established program foundations at these two universities and add work streams to their existing research. As stated above, we have identified the economy, the environment and peace-keeping activities as being gaps in the centres operations. 3 Moi Refugee Research Centre: 4 Refugee Law Project:

6 Projected budget ACTIVITY Data collection & Analysis (Research Assistants) Quantity Unit cost Period YEAR YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 AMOUNT (USD) 1 30 data months 75, ,000 collectors Data analysis 3 months 5,000 5,000 Social mobilization (Research assistants & 30 research assistants ,000 community Education Refugees) Facilitator (5) 200 5,000 Planning and coordination Staff costs Administrator s Head professor 2 Research ICT Tech Admin 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 20,000 5 years 70,800 70,800 70,800 70,800 70, ,000 Research Dissemination (Annually) 2 Researchers 2,500 5 years 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 35,000 Monitoring and Evaluation External & Internal staff - Annually 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 50,000 Research publication ICT & Information sharing Inter-University Exchange programs 2 staff 500 Annually , 500 6, 000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 30,000 2 staff 6,000 Biannual 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 48,000 TOTAL 771,500

7 Sources of Funding There are various possible sources of funding for this research project. As it will be based at the universities themselves, it will be able to apply for a share of their funding. There is also the possibility of applying for private sponsorship and allowing for charitable donations. Furthermore, the project could charge fees, should the project write specific requested reports or conduct consulting work for parties interested in incorporating refugee strategies into their business operations. However, the most likely source of funding is a foundation or government grant. These can be applied for and the possible funders include: UNEPA IOM UNHCR UNICEF Refugees International OFID WHO UN Human Rights Commissions EPA World Vision Islamic Relief services for Kenya