Refugee Rights in Africa

A Focus on the Protection of the Displaced in Africa

While IRRI maintains an international perspective, its current project focus is on Africa. The reasons are many. Not only does Africa continue to host more refugees per capita than any other continent, its experiences present a microcosm of both the major challenges to, and opportunities for, innovative approaches to the protection of the displaced.

Despite severe political and economic difficulties, Africans continue to offer generous hospitality towards millions of refugees and internally displaced people. The region’s progressive human and refugee rights framework reflects this strong commitment. Unfortunately, there are signs that the tradition of welcome for the stranger may be under threat as conflict continues to affect many regions, borders are closed and refugee camps are viewed as threats to state security. There is a danger that African governments may capitulate to the policies of restrictionism which have already firmly taken hold in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

As the pressures on African host communities mount, the continent is at the same time creating new opportunities for challenge to these trends. Not only are a number of protracted conflicts drawing to a close but major institutional changes—including the creation of the African Union, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), and the strengthening of sub-regional arrangements—hold out great hope for African refugees. There is real potential that progressive law and policy making, increased accountability for refugee rights, and greater access by civil society to the centers of decision making can be achieved.

A strong transnational network of advocates is required to trigger this potential and build on those best practices which already exist. Many African non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human rights advocates have the knowledge with which to frame messages of refugee rights protection—but rarely the time and resources to examine protection challenges from a regional or international perspective. IRRI particularly works to facilitate the exchange of insights from the ground across national borders and to spur the design of effective NGO research and advocacy strategies.