- In Brief
Urban Refugees in Kenya
- Click above to watch our short video highlighting the daily struggles facing thousands of urban refugees living in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi. In their own words, the refugees tell of how they face poverty, harassment and violence as they make their way in the urban environment.
Tens of thousands of refugees seeking safety in Kenya's capital Nairobi are confronted with police harassment, exposure to criminal violence and a severe lack of livelihoods opportunities.
Many refugees in Nairobi face difficult living conditions and have specific and urgent needs that require greater understanding and support. Without adequate support many refugees are forced into poorly paid jobs and find it difficult to afford adequate essentials such as food, housing, healthcare and education. The situation is compounded by the fact that refugees are often exploited due to a lack of official papers and sometimes charged higher rents than their Kenyan neighbours.
Yet with the right support they can secure their livelihoods and positively contribute to the local economy. The donor community must recognise the particular needs of increasing numbers of refugees in urban areas.
- Press release: IRC raises concern about indiscriminate arrests and harassment in Kenya's crackdown on refugees >
- Press release: Tens of thousands of urban refugees in Kenya face regular harassment, discrimination and poverty >
- Report: Hidden & Exposed: Urban Refugees in Nairobi, Kenya (March 2010) >
- Video: Hidden Voices: Urban Refugees in Nairobi, Kenya >
- Photo story: The daily struggles of refugee life in Nairobi >
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