Working Paper 30

By Zahra Moshref Javadi, Research Associate at The Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS), York University

Jennifer Hyndman, Professor at the Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) and in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University 

Executive Summary

 This paper seeks to address how states use ‘vulnerability’ to select a small percentage of refugees from the millions worldwide for resettlement programs. Across asylum and resettlement contexts, vulnerability functions as a mechanism for categorization and prioritization. In asylum systems, it helps identify individuals requiring procedural accommodation or enhanced protection, whereas in resettlement, it assumes a more consequential role: distinguishing among millions of recognized refugees competing for a limited number of resettlement spaces. However, the very concept that underpins this prioritization, “vulnerability”, remains fluid, contested, and deeply shaped by institutional discretion. While vulnerability is invoked to justify procedural accommodation and enhanced protection, its changing definition and application significantly influence who ultimately gains access to one of the rarest durable solutions.

This study examines how vulnerability is defined and operationalized within UNHCR and Canada’s refugee resettlement system, and the extent to which these definitions reflect evolving policy priorities and discretionary decision-making.

Drawing on legal frameworks, policy instruments, and secondary literature, vulnerability is framed not merely as a humanitarian descriptor but as a governing tool embedded within selection processes. The aim is to clarify how vulnerability functions as both a selection criterion and a site of political interpretation in both UNHCR and Canadian resettlement practices.

The paper argues that vulnerability operates at the intersection of protection and selectivity. While it enables targeted assistance for those facing acute risk, its ambiguity and discretionary application risk producing ‘hierarchies of deservingness’ (Reynolds and Hyndman, 2026). Ensuring fairness and coherence in refugee resettlement requires greater transparency and conceptual clarity in how vulnerability is defined, interpreted, and operationalized.

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LERRN Working Paper No. 30: Analyzing Vulnerability in Canadian Refugee Resettlement

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DOI

10.22215/glrnw/2605001

Citation: Javadi, Z. M., Hyndman, J. (2026). Analyzing Vulnerability in Canadian Refugee Resettlement. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN). https://doi.org/10.22215/glrnw/2605001

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Working Paper 29

By Brianna Parent Long, �Ӱ�ԭ�� University and Muzna Dureid, Concordia University

Executive Summary

Despite Canada’s recognition as a global leader in refugee resettlement and the introduction of the FIAP under the Trudeau’s administration, we identify a crucial oversight: the insufficient focus on forced displacement within its feminist international assistance framework. In this article, we critically examine Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) in the context of forced displacement, a crisis exacerbated by political turmoil and gender-specific vulnerabilities.

We draw on Canada’s policies before and after the election of Trudeau, highlighting a shift from a more conservative stance under the Harper government to a more progressive yet still inadequate approach under Trudeau, arguing that this gap challenges the integrity of the FIAP’s feminist ethos by overlooking the role of forced displacement in achieving sustainable development, gender equality and peace. We argue that the FIAP’s minimal engagement with displacement issues demonstrates a failure to recognize the political and security dimensions of displacement and its impact on women and girls. A thorough evaluation of Canada’s policy documents, speeches, and public statements reveals a pattern of essentialist and depoliticized treatment of displacement.

This article emphasizes the need for a robust and nuanced policy that incorporates local perspectives, particularly from women peacebuilders and organizations in conflict zones. It argues for the expansion of Canada’s definition of security to include the threats and concerns defined by those directly affected by conflict and displacement and addresses the complex interplay of gender, security, and peace.

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Forced Displacement and Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy: What Is Missing?

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DOI 

Citation 

Long, B. P., Dureid, M. (2025). Forced Displacement and Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy: What is Missing? Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN).  

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Working Paper 28

by Abulogn Ojulu Okello, York University, Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) Program

Executive Summary

This paper delves into the intricate terrain of refugee welfare in Kenya, exploring the challenges faced by refugees and the solutions devised to alleviate their plight. Kenya’s experience in hosting refugees offers a compelling narrative, shaped by conflicts, environmental disasters, and economic instability. Established camps like Dadaab and Kakuma strain resources and infrastructure, leading to tensions between refugees and host communities. Lack of documentation exacerbates vulnerability, impeding access to essential services and legal protections. Additionally, scarcity of clean water, insufficient food supply, inadequate shelter, and inadequate healthcare facilities compound refugee hardships. Despite government and international efforts, challenges persist, including donor fatigue and limited integration opportunities. This exploration of refugee welfare in Kenya highlights barriers and proposes solutions to inform future policy and practice, which is crucial for ensuring the dignity, security, and well-being of refugees both in Kenya and beyond.

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PRINT-Refugee Welfare in Kenya: Challenges and Solutions

Refugee Welfare in Kenya: Challenges and Solutions

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DOI

Citation

Okello, A. (2024). Refugee Welfare in Kenya: Challenges and Solutions. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN). 

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Working Paper 17

Zahraa Al-Ahmad, Graduate of �Ӱ�ԭ�� University, MA in Political Science

Executive Summary

While Lebanon has the largest per capita refugee population in the world, Lebanon’s protection of refugees has been controversial and limited. Lebanon’s complex politics have created an environment for contradictory policies, leaving the international community critical of Lebanon’s intentions and willingness to protect refugees. From its original contested open-border policy to the eventual crackdown on Syrian refugees, this paper offers a historical analysis of the progression of Lebanon’s refugee policies to give context to current responses to refugees. Lebanon’s refugee policies took a drastic turn in 2014 as the Lebanese government shifted from a policy of inaction to a more organized anti-Syrian refugee framework characterized by mass crackdowns, forced repatriation, and limited access to asylum. This paper explores how Lebanon’s shift to an anti-refugee framework was strongly shaped by Lebanon’s social, historical, political, and economic conditions. Some of the main factors that will be discussed include Lebanon’s history of civil war and a difficult relationship with Palestinian refugees, the country’s political and economic instability, and its complicated sectarian political system. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research on Lebanon’s refugee policies to build a more analytical and nuanced understanding of the Lebanese response and overall refugee crisis.

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Historical Backgrounder: Lebanon’s 2014 Refugee Policy Shift

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Citation

Al-Ahmad, Z. (2022). Historical Backgrounder: Lebanon’s 2014 Refugee Policy Shift. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN).

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Working Paper 14

Abdikadir Bare Abikar, Member of the Dadaab Response Association, Graduate of the Master of Education, York University Borderless Higher Education for Refugees Program

Executive Summary

This paper is a modified version of a Major Research Paper for the Master of Education degree at York University as part of the Borderless Higher Education for Refugees project, which provides virtual education to refugees in the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya. In this paper, I employ an action research methodology to argue that, in order to improve the capacity of novice and untrained teachers in schools in the Dadaab refugee complex, local educational actors need to introduce in-service professional learning opportunities to better prepare teachers who have not had the chance to pursue educational opportunities past their secondary studies. The purpose of this study was to first listen and learn from the experiences of employees at Hareed Primary School and to investigate the in-service education needed by untrained teachers in a refugee camp in Dadaab. Phase one of the research was a pre-workshop survey that asked participants questions about any educational training they have received, and their challenges. Phase two involved developing and implementing workshops for novice/untrained educators that modelled how a professional learning community works, and provided modified BHER teacher educational content for new/untrained teachers. Phase three of my study evaluated the impact of the workshops on the development of professional learning communities and if teacher attitudes or behaviors were transformed. My analysis of the data found that the professional learning community improved teacher confidence and positively changed dispositions toward collaboration and ongoing community-driven learning, as well as improved use of technology tools in and outside of the classroom. I conclude with recommendations for present policy and future research within Dadaab and beyond. I think some obvious challenges facing the PLC’s sustainability will be that some of the teachers have been working with minimal administrative supervision. I fear that if the school does not support their continued collaboration, the community may not continue to fully coordinate and cooperate, which would cause the collapse of the professional learning community that we developed. The first recommendation is that the school administration supports the Professional Learning Community to ensure its sustainability. Given the positive impact of this community, I strongly support the idea that other schools should organize similar continual in-service training in the Dadaab camps, using as an untapped resource the teachers that have already been trained at Hareed and the qualified refugee teachers who have been educated in the BHER project, and who now understand the power of creating professional learning communities to empower teachers.

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Building Local Professional Learning Communities with and for Teachers in Refugee Camps: A Case Study on Hareed Primary School in Dadaab

PRINT-Building Local Professional Learning Communities with and for Teachers in Refugee Camps: A Case Study on Hareed Primary School in Dadaab

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DOI

Citation

Abikar, A. B. (2020). Building Local Professional Learning Communities with and for Teachers in Refugee Camps – A Case Study on Hareed Primary School in Dadaab. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN).

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Working Paper 16

Abulogn Okello, Graduate of the Master of Education, York University Borderless Higher Education for Refugees Program

Executive Summary

As a result of domestic terror attacks in the last decades, Kenyan government officials and media outlets have begun to frame refugee camps as hotbeds of terror and extremism. These representations have shifted dominant and traditional perceptions of Dadaab refugees as victims of conflict to potential terrorists and threats to Kenyan national security. Accordingly, the Government of Kenya has taken a series of policy measures, including the introduction of an encampment policy to restrict refugees’ movement and, more recently, a policy of repatriating Somali refugees to Somalia and relocating other nationalities to Kakuma. Recent escalations of attacks in Kenya have further amplified calls from the Government of Kenya to expedite the repatriation of refugees to Somalia. The policies of repatriation have significantly impacted operations in the Dadaab camp, particularly around the education of refugees, throwing refugee individuals and families into panic and confusion. Refugees in the camp place their hope and expectations for better living conditions now, as well as in their future, on the education offered in the camp as they await a durable solution.

In this paper, I investigate the relationship between repatriation policy, demographic change, and educational systems in Dadaab. I have shown how the shrinking of the camp due to repatriation has contributed to the closure of organizations that offer education, resulting in significant effects on the continuity of education. Using semi-structured interviews, I analyzed the relationship between repatriation and education. Interview participants discussed their time in the camps, education, restrictions on movement, economic opportunity, vulnerability, uncertainty, and hope. Although I contend that repatriation remains immensely valuable as one possible durable solution for refugees, I outline the key challenges and issues surrounding forced repatriation, including the sociocultural and economic disadvantages for those who repatriate as a result of government policy versus personal will. The paper concludes with recommendations on continuing to support access to education for refugees in the camps and on adequately supporting refugees who are repatriating to Somalia.

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PRINT-Repatriation as a Durable Solution: Refugee Perspectives on Repatriation Policies and Education in Dadaab Refugee Camp

Repatriation as a Durable Solution Refugee Perspectives on Repatriation Policies and Education in Dadaab Refugee Camp

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DOI

Citation

Okello, A. (2021). Repatriation as a Durable Solution: Refugee Perspectives on Repatriation Policies and Education in Dadaab Refugee Camp. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN).

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Working Paper 9

Angel Abbaticchio, �Ӱ�ԭ�� University

Executive Summary

Though the global refugee regime was developed more than 70 years ago to find solutions for refugees, progress on truly sustainable solutions remains scarce. The international community recognizes the need to strengthen the humanitarian-development (HD) nexus or, in other words, to promote closer collaboration between humanitarian and development programming, to find solutions for refugees. African states have paid attention to the HD nexus since the 1960s, demonstrating that efforts to merge humanitarian assistance with development are far from new. However, HD approaches practiced in Africa began to fade in the 1980s and 1990s due to prolonged displacement, a rise in refugee numbers, and the pressures of economic liberalization and structural adjustment.

While renewed attention to the HD nexus and its latest manifestation – self-reliance – is recognized as vital to finding solutions for refugees, dwindling international support and cooperation has made it difficult to find solutions. This paper examines the self-reliance model in the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Programme in Kenya to assess whether or not the HD nexus is leading to solutions for refugees. I argue that state interests continue to dominate the global refugee regime and its functioning in Kenya. Consequently, the rights, dignity, and well-being of refugees – the majority of which are hosted in the global South – continue to deteriorate, and it is increasingly difficult to find permanent solutions to their plight. As HD approaches are increasingly understood as important for finding solutions, these approaches including the self-reliance model in Kalobeyei must be centered on refugees’ rights rather than state interests. I propose that addressing the power asymmetry within the refugee regime and the corresponding lack of inclusivity of refugees and host communities in the development and implementation of programs and policies, is crucial to realizing solutions.

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Is the Humanitarian-Development Nexus Leading to Solutions for Refugees?

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Citation

Abbaticchio, A. (2020). Is the Humanitarian-Development Nexus Leading to Solutions for Refugees? Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN).

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Working Paper 5

Leonard Chimanda, University of Dar es Salaam

Stéfanie Morris, University of Ottawa

Executive Summary

In the summer of 2019, Leonard Chimanda, a Masters candidate of Laws in Migration and Refugee Law at the University of Dar es Salaam and Stéfanie Morris, a researcher at the University of Ottawa were tasked to evaluate whether there are gaps in Tanzania’s current national legal and regulatory framework.

Discrepancies between international law and policy and local practice have proved significant in Tanzania in recent years. As a country that has hosted refugees since its independence, with no end in sight, the protracted nature of this situation has challenged the government’s willingness to cooperate in the implementation of international policies.

Leonard and Stéfanie drew on legal texts, recent academic literature, reports from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and findings from semi-structured interviews with local and international actors. The research found that the Refugees Act allows for a great deal of flexibility in interpretation, while policies and practices have increasingly restricted the lives of refugees in Tanzania. Additionally, recent actions by Tanzanian authorities have contradicted some of their legal commitments and suggest increased collaborative, local research as a tool for future advocacy.

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PRINT-Tanzania’s National Legal Framework for Refugees

Tanzania’s National Legal Framework for Refugees Law, Policy & Practice

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More about Leonard

Leonard is a Tanzanian citizen who received is pursuing a Masters of Laws in Migration and Refugee at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He is passionate about migration and refugee law and spent several years volunteering with various humanitarian organizations such as the and the . Currently, he’s also a tutorial assistant in law at the University of Dodoma, Tanzania.

Leonard is happy to be a part of LERRN because it gave him the opportunity to put the knowledge and skills he learned in university into practice.

View Leonard’s full bio here.

More about Stéfanie

Stéfanie has a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor’s in Sociocultural Anthropology. She has worked on a number of qualitative and ethnographic research teams on subjects ranging from transnational families in India to refugee family reunification in Canada, and now Tanzania’s legal framework for refugees. She continues to work as a researcher for the University of Ottawa and as an analyst for Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada with the hope of contributing to improved conditions for migrant and displaced persons, domestically and internationally.

View Stéfanie’s full bio here.

Watch the video below to learn more about Leonard, Stéfanie and their work:

DOI

Citation

Chimanda, L., Morris, S. (2020). Tanzania’s National Legal Framework for Refugees. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN).

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