Determinants of Urban Refugee Youths Self-Reliance, in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Wambugu Iddah Wangui — 2024-07-25

In urban centers, humanitarian assistance to refugees can be sparse, and insufficient to foster self-reliance, which is shaped by social and economic factors. Thus, urban refugee youths exercise a higher degree of self-reliance than those in camps. The study sought to establish the determinants of urban refugee youths self-reliance in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study targeted 2972 refugee youths but sampled 297. It draws on data from questionnaires and analyzed questions using content analysis and descriptive and inferential statistics. Most refugee youths, 80%, said they received support from their social networks, with 74.2% valuing and 5.8% not valuing self-reliance. Self-reliance increased where they depended on these networks for housing, work, and emotional support, but was absent where social capital was unavailable. The correlation (r = 0.30, p = 0.00) and regression (β = 0.726, p = 0.00) results revealed that social networks significantly influenced self-reliance. On financial training, 63.3% of the refugee youth indicated having participated in financial training, with 43.5% valuing and 19.8% not valuing self-reliance. Financial training increased self-reliance by helping them to save, pay back loans, or borrow to invest, but hindered it by increasing over-dependence on credit. The correlation (r = 0.738, p = 0.00) and regression (β = 1.871, p = 0.00) results also indicated that financial training significantly influenced self-reliance. On education training, 77.6% of the refugee youths stated having participated in education training, with 54.5 % valuing and 23.1% not valuing self-reliance. Education and Training enhanced their self- through increased employability and pathways to decent work through wage or self-employment. At the same time, some refugee youths lamented they were still unemployed after completing TVET. The correlation (r = 0.151, p = 0.020) and regression (β = 0.1512, p = 0.00) results also indicated that education significantly influenced self-reliance. Regarding legal support, 64.3% of the refugee youths reported having sought legal representation, with 51.6 % valuing and 12.7% not valuing self-reliance. Legal support enhanced the refugee youth self-reliance by facilitating their access to business permits, and pro-bono lawyers’ services. Legal support failed to foster self-reliance where the refugees lacked awareness of their economic, social, and education rights. The correlation (r = 0.260, p = 0.020) and regression (β = 1.497, p = 0.002) results also revealed that legal support significantly influenced self-reliance. The study proposes that humanitarian actors offer selected skilled refugee youths financial start-up capital for micro-enterprises as well as conduct business incubation and follow-ups after financial training. The study also recommends that TVET designers and funders develop curricula that are responsive to market demands to be relevant and deliver skills that are useful in the local labor markets.

Human Security Challenges in Nepal

Govinda Prasad Guragain, Ph.D — 2024-09-28

The idea of security has changed notably since the Cold War, with a notable shift towards human security as detailed in the UNDP's 1994 Human Development Report. Human security emphasizes protecting individual freedoms and dignity, prioritizing a people-centered perspective. Globalization, especially post-Cold War, had a profound impact on less developed countries like Nepal, affecting conditions related to human security. Nepal's human security has been further jeopardized by internal conflicts and natural disasters such as the devastating earthquake in 2015. Regional organizations like SAARC have historically focused more on arms control rather than prioritizing human security. The 21st century has brought heightened global risks such as terrorism, poverty, internal conflicts, and natural disasters, posing significant challenges to human security globally. Nepal, classified by the UNDP as highly vulnerable to climate change with limited capacities to cope with disasters due to economic constraints, faces heightened insecurity among its population. Despite these global challenges and threats from various sources, international efforts to promote human security have been limited. Enhancing human security requires placing individuals at the center of coordinated efforts involving both state and non-governmental actors, particularly under the leadership of the United Nations through collective measures. Amid ongoing disputes in the extent of effectiveness of the protection of human, it has got a growing recognition has turned out as the conventional focus on state sovereignty and independence is insufficient in addressing modern global risks. The international community is grappling with the need to develop new strategies to protect people from transnational dangers in an increasingly interconnected world. This shift towards promoting human security acknowledges that contemporary threats, which impact lives more profoundly than traditional military challenges between states, extend beyond national boundaries and military concerns.

Journal of Public Policy and Governance

Determinants of Urban Refugee Youths Self-Reliance, in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Human Security Challenges in Nepal