Dr. Stéphanie López-Villamil, Ana María Díez, Alejandro Gómez, Abdullahi Mire, María Guevara, and James Milner participate in the panel discussion at R-Space in Geneva. Building Bridges Across Regions: Refugee-Led Dialogue Between East Africa and Latin America. 15 December 2025.

On 15 December 2025, LERRN and R-SEAT co-hosted a panel discussion at R-Space in Geneva on the theme “Building Bridges Across Regions: Refugee-Led Dialogue Between East Africa and Latin America”.

Timed to coincide with the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review meeting, the event was a critical opportunity to highlight the shared challenges and opportunities to levering the expertise of refugee leaders in developing and implementing more efficient, effective and accountable responses to displacement. With the room at full capacity and with many key partners in attendance, the event highlighted the critical role that enhanced and meaningful refugee participation can play in ensuring that collective action to respond to the needs of refugees can be mobilized at a time of financial collapse for the humanitarian response sector and growing political skepticism around both multilateralism and upholding core refugee and human rights protection principles.

The event centered around the global launch of LERRN’s synthesis of its work on refugee-led organizations in East Africa and the Middle East and its more recent work, supported by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, on refugee leadership in East Africa and South America. Presented by the author, Dr. Stéphanie López-Villamil, the synthesis highlights the crucial role of refugee-led responses across regions, in areas as diverse as service delivery, advocacy, and policy development. By outlining the various ways that refugee leaders navigate shifting political opportunity structures, López-Villamil detailed the use of multi-level advocacy used across contexts to address power inequalities and enhance access and impact. The lessons of this analysis are particularly relevant given the moment currently faced by the global refugee regime.

The event then featured responses and perspectives from refugee leaders working in diverse contexts. In her intervention, María Guevara, Latin America Lead for R-SEAT, highlighted how the synthesis report captured the strategies employed by refugee-led organizations across Latin America and how the expertise of refugees is increasingly being recognized in national processes and regional efforts, such as the Cartagena +40 process. Abdullahi Mire, winner of the 2023 Nansen Refugee Award and founder of the Refugee Youth Education Hub, highlighted how the strategies outlined in the report are being used by leaders in places like the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya to navigate the profound consequences of collapse of funding to UNHCR in 2025. Alejandro Gómez, with Fundación Refugiados Unidos in Colombia, noted that while there has been an increased recognition of the substantive value of refugee participation, it is important to highlight that disproportionate barriers remain for many, especially leaders from the LGBTQI+ community. Ana María Díez, President of Coalición por Venezuela, noted that while refugee leadership had contributed to critical policy changes at the national and regional level, such as the regularization of status for some 2 million Venezuelans in Colombia, more work is needed to change the perception of refugees from a burden to a state to understanding refugees as individuals with skills and abilities to contribute to their host community.

The panel discussion was followed by a lively discussion with a highly engaged audience that illustrated the relevance of the results presented in the synthesis report to situations well beyond the contexts included in the report, along with the increased relevance of these issues in advance of the anticipated election of Dr. Barham Salih as High Commissioner for Refugees by the UN General Assembly later in the week.�� �� ��

The panel highlighted how the challenges and opportunities faced by refugee leaders are remarkably similar across regions. While challenges persist around issues of funding, access and capacity, refugee-led initiatives have responded by drawing on the strength of coalitions, engaging with regional processes, leveraging the combined significance of their unique access to displaced communities and their moral and expert authority, and their ability to mobilize through alternate forms of media, such as social media and virtual networks. Ultimately, the event underscored the key lessons from the research on refugee leadership and refugee-led organizations: At a time of profound need and collapsing support from traditional partners, refugee-led responses bring the combination of moral authority, proven efficiency, technical expertise, and trust-based relationships with affected communities that are urgently needed to reimagine responses to forced migration in a rapidly evolving political reality.

At a time when global displacement is at its highest, this synthesis report offers a timely and evidence-based perspective on how refugees themselves — not only external actors — are leading meaningful, locally rooted, and effective responses. By drawing together diverse regional experiences and deepening our understanding of refugee agency, the report reinforces the need for policy and funding frameworks, provides clear recommendations to strengthen support for RLOs and advance meaningful refugee participation.

In this report:

• The report draws lessons from the LERRN two large research studies that involved participation of over 400 refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and more than 100 refugee leaders in 25 different locations across nine countries: Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Colombia, Chile, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia.
• The report highlights the variety of RLO roles — from service provision (education, livelihoods, social support) to cultural activities, advocacy, and community-level governance.
• The analysis highlights both constraints an opportunities: how refugee-led responses build agency and resilience, and how political, legal and funding barriers continue to limit their full potential.
• The report includes practical recommendations for donors, governments, international agencies, and civil society to strengthen support for refugee-led organizations and to advance meaningful refugee participation.

Read or download the full report:

Upcoming Event:

We at LERRN invite you to explore this timely report and to join us for a panel discussion “Building Bridges Across Regions” in Geneva on 15 December!

Whether you are a researcher, student, policy-maker, member of a refugee-led organization, or simply interested in inclusive and community-led humanitarian responses, we invite you to join us for a panel discussion to learn more about this report findings and hear from the discussants.

LERRN will host an in person event, Building Bridges Across Regions: East Africa & Latin America, in Geneva on 15 December as part of the

Our panel discussion provides a critical opportunity to reflect on the report’s insights, consider their implications for refugee-led responses globally, and explore pathways to strengthen refugee agency across regions and within the global refugee regime.

For more information about the upcoming event, visit LERRN upcoming events.

“These displacements have made the people very vulnerable and especially the men, our most vulnerable people, although when you go to the organization for help they say no, we don’t help men we only help women and ladies, but I’m telling you, our men have become very vulnerable and this has led to GBV in their homes, because now it is the woman who goes out and comes back with food, it’s now the woman who is working and has taken the traditional role of providing for the family, which was a man’s role.” – A quote from a female refugee leader

Displacement in the East African region refers to forced movement of individuals or communities from their homes due to conflict, persecution, natural disasters, climate change, or economic instability. This displacement can be internal (within a country) or across borders (as refugees).

Refugees in Kenya are mostly from Somalia, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia, communities that have deeply rooted patriarchal systems, as is still much of the region.

Gender dynamics significantly impact refugee leadership in Kenya, both in the camps and in urban areas. These dynamics, influence who leads, how leadership is perceived, and what barriers or opportunities exist for inclusive governance within refugee communities. Therefore, understanding and addressing gender disparities is imperative for advancing equitable participation and effective community representation. Leadership structures in refugee camps and urban settlements are often male dominated, and this extends to refuge-led organizations or camp committees, where women are often given secondary roles, such as secretarial duties rather than being included in the decision-making processes. It is no wonder that programmes have over focused on empowering women, yet, this is causing an imbalance where the development of men and boys is concerned.

Historically, in many societies, women were denied access to formal jobs, land ownership, and were often restricted to domestic roles. Patriarchal systems reinforced male dominance in politics, economy, and social structures, whereas women had limited legal rights and were often seen as dependents of men. In many cultures around the world, women mostly gained voting rights in the 20^th century and presently many societies still lack gender- inclusive policies in governance and economy.

These injustices and discrimination over the years gave rise to feminist advocacy movements that led to the in 1995, which was a turning point for women’s rights worldwide, where countries committed to eliminating gender-based discrimination and promoting equality. The also aims to achieve ‘gender equality’ and empower all women and girls.

In a recent study conducted by LERRN, findings from refugee leaders in Nairobi suggest that gender-focused programming, while crucial, can unintentionally neglect the unique challenges faced by men and boys, particularly in contexts where access to education, employment, and leadership is already constrained. This perceived imbalance can foster resentment, social tension, and even backlash against women’s gains. Gender equality should not be seen as a zero-sum game. A more inclusive and equitable approach requires designing programs that respond to the needs of all genders, ensuring that initiatives are seen as collective gains rather than individual privileges. When both women and men are supported to lead, contribute, and access opportunities, refugee communities are most likely to thrive, with leadership that is representative, collaborative, and sustainable.

In refugee camps, leadership structures often replicate patriarchal norms, with men dominating formal leadership roles whereas in urban settings, informal leadership spaces offer opportunities for women, yet these roles often lack institutional recognition or support. In resource scarce settings, the perception that women’s empowerment equals men’s disempowerment can emerge – not out of resistance to women’s rights, but from feelings of exclusion. This reinforces gender inequality by shifting resentment, not toward the systems that marginalize everyone, but toward the gender that appears to be gaining recognition.

“Jack is a young man who is able to articulate what he does in his community. Jill is not doing the same thing that Jack is doing. But imagine if Jill was doing the same, articulating what she has been doing for all those three decades, and shining the same light to what other women are doing. I think for women, they take what they do very lightly, and they don’t voice it out. They don’t show you; they don’t document it. Because they feel like, “we’re just helping our people.” –�� A quote by female refugee leader

** Jack and Jill not real names of leaders. Names changed to protect leaders. **

Women is a lauded move but not at the expense of men and boys, as this creates an imbalanced society, while contradicting the term ‘’. Some men perceive women’s empowerment as a threat rather than a solution which can lead to increased gender-based violence, broken families, and resistance to gender policies. Refugee men and boys who feel economically and socially powerless are prone to depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse and suicide due to lack of purpose. Excluding men from economic and leadership opportunities, leads to family breakdowns because men feeling disempowered and women end up carrying double burdens i.e., working and handling family responsibilities. As traditional male roles shift, men need new identities based on respect, partnership and shared responsibilities. Without guidance, some men turn to aggression, hyper-masculinity, or social withdrawal. When refugee males, especially youth or marginalized sub-groups face barriers to employment, education, and leadership without targeted support, it creates a gap in programming. This absence may lead to social tensions, identity crises, and backlash that hinder the progress of women empowerment efforts.

“Women are already leaders in their community but they are humble/modest about it. I come from a community where men have been weakened because women have been empowered by most of the organizations, many of the project initiatives support mostly women and not men.”�� – A quote by male refugee leader

Women empowerment is essential, but excluding men is creating new complications and while the solution is not to stop empowering women and girls but men and boys should be included in the conversation, to ensure that both genders thrive together and not one, at the expense of the other. Addressing gender dynamics in refugee leadership is critical to achieving inclusive and equitable governance in both camp and urban setting in Kenya. Strategic investment, policy reform, and community engagement can foster an environment where all refugees, regardless of gender, can lead and participate meaningfully in shaping their future for a thriving and well-functioning posterity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lavender Mboya brings to the East Africa Research Team over eight years of experience in project administration, coordination, and research, with a focus on migration. In her previous work, as a research team leader within a regional consortium, she led studies examining the dynamics, drivers, and implications of mobility, migration, and displacement across the Horn of Africa. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from The Open University, United Kingdom.

ABOUT THE STUDY:

To learn more about the study results, please visit: /lerrn/refugee-leadership-in-south-america-and-east-africa/

������Constanza Lobos, Stephanie López Villamil

Panel: “Venezuelan refugees in Latin America: protection gaps” during the Global Refugee Forum 2023. In the photo: Fernanda Bedoya (El Derecho a No Obedecer), Roberto Blanco (Alianza VenCR), Robert Tigrera (Asociación Lluvia de Arcoiris), Lublanc Prieto (Refugees United)

As part of the project “The Politics and Process of Refugee Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of Factors Conditioning Refugee Leadership in Global South” our team of researchers from Colombia and Chile conducted fieldwork in both countries to understand the conditions that enable or constrain refugees to demonstrate leadership in navigating local, national and regional power structures to influence the development and implementation of policies and programs aimed at affecting their daily lives.

During the first semester of 2024, we approached Venezuelan and Haitian leaders in both countries to learn about their trajectories and experiences. We discussed their needs and expectations and the obstacles they have encountered in their paths for the meaningful participation of their communities and in carrying out advocacy processes. Methodologically, this involved approaching refugee and migrant leaders considering research ethics and the challenges to approach the different actors, including organizations, and associated institutions. In this blog, we will reflect on the main implications of doing research with refugee and migrant leaders from the global south.

Methodology design and first approaches to the field

One of the team’s first tasks was to approach refugee and migrant communities, leaders, and relevant actors by attending different events related to migration and refugees. We also collected secondary data that was very useful to build a contextual overview of the migration and refugee situations in Colombia and Chile. All of the above made it possible to do a mapping of actors that was key to understanding the realities of both countries and to select possible participants for the research.

A disadvantage in the Chilean case was that there were no official records of migrant and refugee organizations, so the mapping had to be built based on the knowledge of the research assistants in Chile and their involvement in different events through participant observation. In Colombia, both researchers leveraged their networks and previous collaborations with RLOs to recruit participants.

Another important challenge we faced in the case of Chile was the recent modifications of the political-legal context, with the enactment of a new migration law that modified the requirements and procedures for obtaining refugee status, as well as the presentation of different bills in Congress in a short period. This had an impact on the public political discourse in Chilean society, reinforcing a scenario of criminalization of migratory flows. We addressed this issue by developing various strategies to ensure respectful relationships with the participants and creating spaces of trust and security for both; us and them. Also, the collection of background information on the legal and political context allowed the team members to be aware of the situations that were occurring in Chile and to be informed when conducting interviews and focus groups.

While designing the data collection instruments for the fieldwork, a positive aspect was the collaborative creation of interview and focus group questions within the team. We considered relevant items for both the Chilean and Colombian cases. This allowed us to gain a broader perspective on the subject under investigation by contrasting elements of the context in each country and seeking commonalities and unique aspects of the experiences of migrant and refugee leaders.

Field data collection: obstacles, challenges, and achievements

Fieldwork was carried out between May and June 2024 in three cities: Bogotá, Riohacha, and Santiago. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) with Venezuelan and Haitian leaders, representatives of institutions related to migration and refugee issues, representatives of international organizations, and experts.

One of the main challenges in recruiting people at the beginning of the fieldwork was the distrust and lack of interest in the participation of community leaders in the regions of Chile, especially from the Haitian community. Some leaders expressed their concerns about “academic extractivism” and the risk of disregarding their voices when disseminating research results. To address this issue, we primarily relied on the established trust with researchers and established new platforms for open dialogue and collaboration to further strengthen this trust. Additionally, we informed the participants about the opportunity to engage in discussions about the findings and to be involved in the dissemination process, which piqued the interest of some participants.

The main challenge we encountered was the difficulty in getting leaders in Chile to participate in interviews or FGDs due to their busy schedules. Most of them have full-time jobs and work simultaneously in their organizations, leaving them with little time for extra activities. Additionally, the fieldwork in Chile coincided with the end of the first semester of the work/student year and the vacations of some interviewees and their children, leading to limited availability and the need to reschedule appointments. We sought to accommodate their availability of time and locations and be flexible with the proposed times. We agreed to conduct interviews and the focus group discussion after 6 p.m. so that they could participate.

In the case of Colombia, the main challenge was to elicit responses from state institutions and international organizations for the interviews. The solution was to seek out alternative individuals or organizations.

We encountered various challenges during our fieldwork in both countries, prompting us to consider new approaches for involving migrant and refugee leaders in the co-design and co-development of our research. We aimed to gather their perspectives on the situation and to build trust between researchers and participants or organizations. We believe that involving leaders in other stages of the research process could help us recruit more people, particularly from the Haitian community and among Haitian women, who were initially hesitant to participate.

Takeaways from our fieldwork in Chile and Colombia

The fieldwork in South America provided valuable lessons for both the team and the participants. These are our key takeaways:

• Establishing strong and trusting relationships with communities, organizations, and authorities is essential for effectively involving them in the co-design process from the outset of the research. This will help ensure that the research objectives and outcomes have a meaningful and beneficial impact on the communities involved.
• Building trust with the participants and developing collaborative proposals for future work. Leaders expressed their interest in continued involvement in the research, such as writing articles or academic blogs, and other forms of collaboration beyond the initial interview.
• Gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics within the communities we intend to investigate, such as gender and age relations, and power structures. This understanding could help us establish stronger connections and determine effective ways to engage with different communities, such as the Haitian community.
• Collaborating continuously with leaders to discuss the research results and involve them in various dissemination activities. Many leaders appreciated being asked about their needs, which is a significant outcome of the research, especially in contexts where information on this topic is scarce or non-existent.
• Listening to migrant and refugee leaders is crucial for any research, integrating their voices into debates, disseminating the results, and creating opportunities for dialogue with authorities and experts.

This blog builds on findings from the LERRN study “The Politics and Process of Refugee Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of Factors Conditioning Refugee Leadership in the Global South”, funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation. As part of this research, I conducted fieldwork in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee settlements in Kenya to explore the factors that enable or constrain refugee leadership. Using qualitative methods, I gathered data through one focus group discussion with twelve participants, four key informant interviews with representatives from three humanitarian organizations and one government agency involved in refugee protection, and four individual interviews with leaders of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs).

Photo Credit: Pascal Zigashane

Most of the refugee leaders I interviewed in Kakuma refugee camp were not leaders in their countries of origin. While in their home countries, the refugee leaders I spoke to throughout the research project were not involved in any leadership roles. One expressed that while in Uganda, “I was involved as a leader in a church function of a group of young people.” Refugees are inspired to take on leadership roles because of the circumstances and gaps in humanitarian services. Refugee leadership is very important to them as they mobilize their communities to collectively respond to their needs.

What motivates refugees to take up leadership roles in Kakuma refugee camp?

Gaps in humanitarian services drive refugees to take on leadership roles. Humanitarian organizations provide assistance to refugees in various sectors such as education, livelihoods, and health care, but they don’t always meet every need. In the implementation of humanitarian services, refugee leaders see gaps and feel motivated to take action to address them. They start initiatives and mobilize communities to fill these gaps. In the education sector, refugee leaders start initiatives to provide afternoon classes to help students perform and get good grades in school. Some of these leaders have established formal schools to address quality education issues. The teacher-student ratio in NGO-run schools reveals a huge gap in the quality of education, with one teacher serving a class of more than 180 students. This leaves some students unattended. Refugee leaders would go the extra mile to mentor those who have completed secondary school and guide them through the process of applying for tertiary scholarships to increase enrollment in tertiary education.

Refugee leaders take initiatives to equally address the needs of those who don’t have secondary education and those who can’t enter tertiary education due to poor performance in the national exam. Refugee leaders take the initiative to develop vocational training to equip their fellow refugees with various skills that will enable them to participate in the informal economy. Throughout the implementation of these initiatives, refugee leaders demonstrate solidarity with their communities. Refugees will mobilize resources to provide their peers with tools to engage in entrepreneurial activities to achieve self-sufficiency. They build infrastructure where their community members can access services and support.

Most of the female refugee leaders who participated in the research are motivated to take on leadership roles in order to change cultural norms. During the interview, the Executive Director of the She Can Initiative expressed her drive to establish the initiative to support young girls who have long been denied equal status with men in society by their culture. In some cultures, young girls are married off before the age of 18 and have no say in family decisions. They drop out of school to start a family at an early age. Some refugee women who have taken on leadership roles have initiatives that empower women, drive change and influence cultural norms that affect women. They address cultural issues and advocate for women’s rights. As part of their support for young girls, they provide training on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Refugee-led, women-owned organizations empower young girls to make their own sexual choices.

Roles and Responsibilities of refugee leaders

Refugee leadership is crucial for their role in speaking out about refugee issues. Refugee leaders are advocates for refugee issues. Through advocacy, refugee leaders become the voices of voiceless refugees and raise awareness of systemic issues. Leaders advocate for changes to gaps in services provided by humanitarian organizations. They advocate for refugee education, economic inclusion, health care, livelihoods, safety, employment, and identification documents. Through advocacy, refugee leaders speak out about the harassment and arbitrary arrests their communities experience at the hands of authorities and security officials. They use structurally available platforms and social media to make the voices of their community heard.

Despite limited access to resources, refugee leaders play a very important role in mobilizing their community members to collectively respond to the issues that affect them. Refugee leaders mobilize their communities to protest humanitarian interventions that affect them. In the recent protests in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei settlements, refugees protested the lack of access to clean water, cuts in World Food Program food rations, and insecurity. When refugee voices are not heard, leaders mobilize their community members to protest at the UNHCR sub office in Kakuma to make their voices heard. Refugee leaders also play the role of peacemakers. Kakuma refugee camp has experienced recurrent ethnic conflict, which has caused loss of life in the affected communities and sometimes escalated to their countries of origin, such as South Sudan. Formal leaders, those elected to represent and lead their communities, and ethnic leaders work together to bring peace and de-escalate conflict.

Challenges that refugee leaders face in demonstrating leadership

There are platforms for policy discussions, but refugee leaders face limited participation in these spaces. A few refugee leaders are invited to local and national meetings, but their voices are often ignored in decision-making processes. Refugee leaders who are invited to these platforms are often invited based on the interest of the organizer. Meaningful refugee participation is hindered by tokenism. According to the research findings, tokenism makes the participation of refugee leaders in decision-making very superficial, where their voices matter because they serve the interests of those who brought them. The other challenge that refugee leaders face that prevents them from exercising leadership is the delay in obtaining identification documents. This prevents them from attending important meetings outside their localities. Without proper documentation, they face restrictions on movement and limited access to services.

Conclusion

Most of the refugee leaders in Kakuma camp had no leadership experience in their countries of origin, but while in the camp, they took on leadership roles to address gaps in humanitarian services. They also demonstrate leadership in advocating for communities to influence change in the areas of education, health, economic inclusion, livelihoods, and security. Their efforts address not only humanitarian gaps but also harmful cultural norms in their communities including those that deny women’s right to sexual autonomy and reproductive health. Refugee leaders mobilize their communities to respond to these issues and protest policies that do not effectively address their needs. Despite the important role refugee leaders play, they face significant challenges in having their voices heard in decision-making. They also experience limited participation in forums due to delays in accessing identification documents. Often, their involvement is reduced to tokenism, keeping their participation in decision-making superficial.

Para la versión en español, desplácese hasta la parte inferior de esta página.

On February 08, 2025, the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) hosted a webinar to present and discuss the findings of a recently completed special research project on the Politics And Processes Of Refugee Leadership In The Global South, generously supported by the ,�� with a specific focus on South America and East Africa. The webinar attracted over 100 participants from 19 different countries. The panellists discussed the results of an 18-month comparative study on the conditions that enable or constrain refugees from demonstrating leadership in local, national and regional power structures, and shared greater insight into how they think leadership can be redefined in the context of displacement and local solutions in the selected countries of the global South.����

The webinar was moderated by James Milner, who began the discussion with introductory remarks on the growing research interest in meaningful refugee participation and refugee-led organizations over the last decade. He reflected on the gap in the existing literature, which has predominantly conceptualized refugee leadership from the perspective of the Global North, particularly in humanitarian-based contexts that overlook forms of refugee leadership at the local level. Inspired by this research findings, he encouraged attendees to draw from the panellists’ presentations to critically reflect on how leadership is defined, understood, and mobilized.����

Stephanie Lopez Villamil, Project Lead Researcher in South America, presented her findings from research conducted in Chile and Colombia, where her team focused on leadership dynamics amongst displaced Venezuelan and Haitian populations. She highlighted how refugee leaders did not necessarily see themselves as leaders but rather thought of themselves as another member of the community trying to help others. Building on this, she noted the substantial differences between conventional political leadership and the circumstantial leadership positions that refugees assume when seeking out solutions to their plight. The South American research team also found that gender was a very relevant factor in the self-identification of leadership, with Dr. Lopez Villamil sharing how women, particularly in the Venezuelan community, were hesitant to refer to themselves as leaders. Her presentation concluded with reflections on the conditions that must be addressed in order to strengthen refugee leadership in the Global South, calling for greater social and mental health support, direct funding to RLOs, capacity-building, and increased opportunities for meaningful refugee participation. Her powerful words resonated with the audience, serving as a reminder that refugee leaders are powerful agents of change:��

“Leaders have emerged to respond to the needs of migrants and refugees, but also as powerful voices contesting restrictive measures put in place by some governments, so advocating for their rights, they are recognized by host communities as powerful agents representing migrants and refugees and their needs.”����

Ronald Sebba Kalyango, Project Lead Researcher in East Africa, then shared his team’s insights from research based in Uganda and Kenya, which focused on refugee leadership in the urban contexts of Kampala and Nairobi as well as refugee settlements of Nakivale and Kakuma. ��Dr. Kalyango’s presentation echoed the earlier conversation about how refugees become leaders by seeking solutions, sharing how many of the refugee leaders in the East Africa region start as activists, interpreters, and researchers who desire change. ��

“What usually happens with the refugee leaders is that what motivates them is the desire to cause change in their communities, not so much about being leaders or being seen or being visible or accessing resources, but usually they come out with a desire to see change in their communities”.����

This notion of leadership affirmed similar findings of the South America research group, which also challenged conventional understandings of leadership by observing refugees in more informal spaces of advocacy and social movements. He then compared the challenges faced by refugee leaders in East Africa to those in South America, drawing similarities between barriers such as tokenization, precarious legal status, and male-dominated leadership structures. These barriers also exist within layers of complex intersectionality, wherein factors such as race, class, nationality, gender, and education can impact the types of challenges that refugee leaders face. Recognizing the need for greater equality amongst refugee leaders, Dr. Kalyango advocated for increased support for female refugee leaders in both RLO and political spheres.������

In response to these points, Dr. Milner invited both lead researchers to reflect on what leadership means to refugees in both regions, as well as how scholars and policymakers abroad can reframe how they think about leadership in practice. From the conversation, it became increasingly clear that current conventional understandings of leadership fail to capture the diverse and entrepreneurial nature of refugee leadership. There is tremendous diversity in the way that leadership is pursued, engaged, and expressed, and it does not need to be formally organized or related to a political structure. Dr. Kalyango emphasized that in these spaces,��

“It was not about position of ‘I am a leader, I am the boss’, but they are looking at��what can they do about the problems that they are experiencing”.����

The discussion was furthered by valuable insights from Lublanc Prieto, Director of Fundación Refugiados Unidos, and Mohamed Hassan, research officer at the Refugee-Led Research Hub. Both panellists offered their own personal reflections on the research in conjunction with their own expertise and knowledge on refugee leadership. Culturally specific understandings of leadership, opportunities for collaboration both between and within refugee communities, and the entrenched systems of othering were key topics in this discussion. Each discussant also offered suggestions on how to address the barriers that limit effective refugee leadership. Central to these recommendations was the need for comprehensive capacity building. As Prieto emphasized, refugee leadership often emerges in informal spaces with limited resources, and leaders are continuously learning how to navigate the complex power dynamics while also serving their communities. Supporting refugee leadership thus requires going beyond traditional humanitarian programming and moving towards greater recognition for the social movements that emerge from refugee communities. It was further stressed that developing structures that allow for meaningful dialogue between refugee leaders and various actors is at the cornerstone of implementing meaningful refugee participation.����

Hassan added to this discussion by posing critical questions about whether refugee perspectives are prioritized and valued in formal policymaking settings. He emphasized the importance of addressing the tokenization and stigmatization that surrounds refugee leaders, and noted how meaningful participation means more than access to these spaces, but rather the chance for refugee leaders voices to be heard and influence decision making. He states that��

“It is good to have refugees because they bring legitimacy to the room, it is good that they are on board, but then their input and what they have to say is not really taken as a priority or is not really considered. It is something people do not see, they want the legitimacy that refugees bring to the table, but they are not necessarily interested in the input of the refugees themselves”.����

The Q&A session centered on mechanisms for accountability and transparency within organizations that support refugees, specifically in regard to how to track progress towards meaningful refugee participation and refugee leadership. Issues regarding inadequate funding, training programs, and reporting systems were discussed by the panellists as the primary pressure points in both regions, noting how political drawbacks and uncertainties may affect the future of ongoing projects. Dr. Lopez Villamil referred to this tension as the cycle of vulnerability that refugees face and highlighted how this is especially pertinent in South America where refugee leadership is still slowly emerging. Navigating a new country and unfamiliar systems may limit refugee leaders’ ability to compete for donor funding against larger humanitarian organizations, yet this does not negate the invaluable impact that they have.����

Despite facing structural and institutional limitations, the panellists discussed numerous instances wherein refugee leaders were mobilized as activists and agents of change. They concluded that the findings from the research project offered optimistic direction for redefining leadership and expressed their hopes that current understandings of the term can be expanded to become more inclusive of how refugee leaders learn, work, and elicit positive change.�� As emphasized throughout the discussion, meaningful refugee participation requires moving beyond tokenized representation and recognizing that refugee leadership differs from traditional conceptualizations. Shifting the power towards localized solutions means creating spaces where refugee leaders can have their voices included in decision-making processes that affect their communities.����

For more information about the research project, you can visit the webpage here.����

En Español

El 8 de febrero de 2025,�� el Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) organizó un seminario web para presentar y debatir las conclusiones de un proyecto de investigación especial recientemente finalizado sobre las políticas y los procesos de liderazgo de los refugiados en el Sur Global, generosamente financiado por la , con especial atención a Sudamérica y África Oriental. El seminario atrajo a más de 100 participantes de 19 países. Los ponentes debatieron los resultados de un estudio comparativo de 18 meses de duración sobre las condiciones que permiten o limitan a los refugiados demostrar su liderazgo en las estructuras de poder locales, nacionales y regionales, y compartieron una amplia perspectiva sobre cómo creen que puede redefinirse el liderazgo en el contexto del desplazamiento y las soluciones locales en los países seleccionados del Sur global.����

El seminario web fue moderado por James Milner, que inició el debate con unas observaciones introductorias sobre el creciente interés de la investigación en la participación significativa de los refugiados y las organizaciones lideradas por refugiados en la última década. Reflexionó sobre el vacío existente en la bibliografía, que ha conceptualizado predominantemente el liderazgo de los refugiados desde la perspectiva del Norte Global, en particular en contextos de base humanitaria que pasan por alto formas de liderazgo de los refugiados a nivel local. Inspirado por los resultados de esta investigación, animó a los asistentes a aprovechar las presentaciones de los ponentes para reflexionar críticamente sobre cómo se define, entiende y moviliza el liderazgo.����

Stephanie López Villamil, investigadora principal del proyecto en Sudamérica, presentó los resultados de la investigación realizada en Chile y Colombia, en la que su equipo se centró en la dinámica del liderazgo entre las poblaciones desplazadas venezolana y haitiana. Destacó que los líderes y lideresas refugiadas no se veían necesariamente a sí mismos como líderes, sino más bien como un miembro más de la comunidad que intenta ayudar a los demás. A partir de ahí, señaló las diferencias sustanciales entre el liderazgo político convencional y las posiciones circunstanciales de liderazgo que asumen los refugiados cuando buscan soluciones a su difícil situación. El equipo de investigación sudamericano también descubrió que el género era un factor muy relevante en la autoidentificación del liderazgo, y la Dra. López Villamil compartió cómo las mujeres, especialmente en la comunidad venezolana, dudaban a la hora de referirse a sí mismas como lideresas. Su presentación concluyó con reflexiones sobre las condiciones que deben abordarse con el fin de fortalecer el liderazgo de los refugiados en el Sur Global, pidiendo un mayor apoyo psicosocial y de salud mental, la financiación directa a Organizaciones Lideradas por Refugiados – OLRs, el fortalecimiento de capacidades, y mayores oportunidades para la participación significativa de los refugiados. Sus poderosas palabras resonaron entre el público y sirvieron para recordar que los líderes y lideresas refugiadas son poderosos agentes de cambio:��

“Los líderes han surgido para responder a las necesidades de migrantes y refugiados, pero también como poderosas voces que impugnan las medidas restrictivas puestas en marcha por algunos gobiernos, por lo que, al defender sus derechos, son reconocidos por las comunidades de acogida como poderosos agentes que representan a migrantes y refugiados y sus necesidades.”����

Ronald Sebba Kalyango, investigador principal del proyecto en África Oriental, compartió a continuación las ideas de su equipo sobre la investigación realizada en Uganda y Kenia, centrada en el liderazgo de los refugiados en los contextos urbanos de Kampala y Nairobi, así como en los asentamientos de refugiados en Nakivale y Kakuma. La presentación del Dr. Kalyango hizo eco de la conversación anterior sobre cómo los refugiados se convierten en líderes buscando soluciones, compartiendo cómo muchos de los líderes refugiados en la región de África Oriental comienzan como activistas, intérpretes e investigadores que desean el cambio.����

“Lo que suele ocurrir con los líderes refugiados es que lo que les motiva es el deseo de provocar un cambio en sus comunidades, no tanto ser líderes o ser vistos o ser visibles o acceder a recursos, sino que suelen salir con el deseo de ver un cambio en sus comunidades“.����

Esta noción de liderazgo reafirmó hallazgos similares del grupo de investigación de Sudamérica, que también desafió las concepciones convencionales del liderazgo al observar a los refugiados en espacios más informales de defensa y movimientos sociales. A continuación, comparó los retos a los que se enfrentan los líderes refugiados en África Oriental con los de Sudamérica, estableciendo similitudes entre barreras como la simbolización, el precario estatus legal y las estructuras de liderazgo dominadas por los hombres. Estas barreras también existen dentro de capas de compleja interseccionalidad, en las que factores como la raza, la clase, la nacionalidad, el género y la educación pueden influir en los tipos de retos a los que se enfrentan los líderes refugiados. Reconociendo la necesidad de una mayor igualdad entre los líderes refugiados, el Dr. Kalyango abogó por un mayor apoyo a las mujeres líderes refugiadas tanto en el ámbito de las OLRs como en el político.����

En respuesta a estos puntos, el Dr. Milner invitó a ambos investigadores principales a reflexionar sobre lo que significa el liderazgo para los refugiados en ambas regiones, así como sobre la forma en que los académicos y los responsables políticos en el extranjero pueden replantearse su forma de pensar sobre el liderazgo en la práctica. A partir de la conversación, quedó cada vez más claro que las concepciones convencionales actuales del liderazgo no logran captar la naturaleza diversa y emprendedora del liderazgo de los refugiados. Hay una enorme diversidad en la forma en que el liderazgo se persigue, se compromete y se expresa, y no necesita estar formalmente organizado o relacionado con una estructura política. El Dr. Kalyango subrayó que, en estos espacios,��

“No se trataba de la posición de ‘yo soy un líder, yo soy el jefe’, sino que están��qué pueden hacer ante los problemas que sufren”.����

El debate se enriqueció con los valiosos aportes de Lublanc Prieto, Directora de la Fundación Refugiados Unidos, y Mohamed Hassan, investigador del Refugee-Led Research Hub. Ambos ponentes ofrecieron sus reflexiones personales sobre la investigación, junto con su propia experiencia y conocimientos sobre el liderazgo de los refugiados. Los temas clave de este debate fueron las interpretaciones culturalmente específicas del liderazgo, las oportunidades de colaboración entre las comunidades de refugiados y dentro de ellas, y los arraigados sistemas de exclusión. Cada ponente ofreció también sugerencias sobre cómo abordar las barreras que limitan el liderazgo efectivo de los refugiados. En el centro de estas recomendaciones se encontraba la necesidad de un desarrollo integral de las capacidades. Como subrayó Prieto, el liderazgo de los refugiados suele surgir en espacios informales con recursos limitados, y los líderes aprenden continuamente a navegar por las complejas dinámicas de poder al tiempo que sirven a sus comunidades. Apoyar el liderazgo de los refugiados exige, por tanto, ir más allá de los programas humanitarios tradicionales y avanzar hacia un mayor reconocimiento de los movimientos sociales que surgen de las comunidades de refugiados. Además, se hizo hincapié en que el desarrollo de estructuras que permitan un diálogo significativo entre los líderes y lideresas de los refugiados y los diversos actores es la piedra angular de la aplicación de una participación significativa de los refugiados.����

Hassan se sumó a este debate planteando cuestiones críticas sobre si se priorizan y valoran las perspectivas de los refugiados en los entornos formales de formulación de políticas. Hizo hincapié en la importancia de abordar la �ٴǰ��Ծ���������ó�� y estigmatización que rodea a los líderes refugiados, y señaló que una participación significativa va más allá del acceso a estos espacios, siendo más bien la oportunidad de que las voces de los líderes refugiados sean escuchadas e influyan en la toma de decisiones. Afirma que��

“Es bueno tener refugiados porque aportan legitimidad a la sala, es bueno que estén a bordo, pero luego su aporte y lo que tienen que decir no se toma realmente como una prioridad o no se tiene realmente en cuenta. Es algo que la gente no ve, quieren la legitimidad que los refugiados aportan a la mesa, pero no están necesariamente interesados en el aporte de los propios refugiados”��

La sesión de preguntas y respuestas se centró en los mecanismos de rendición de cuentas y transparencia de las organizaciones que apoyan a los refugiados. En concreto sobre cómo hacer un seguimiento de los avances hacia una participación y un liderazgo significativos de los refugiados. Los panelistas debatieron cuestiones relativas a la financiación inadecuada, los programas de formación y los sistemas de información como principales puntos de presión en ambas regiones, y señalaron cómo los inconvenientes y las incertidumbres políticas pueden afectar al futuro de los proyectos en curso. La Dra. López Villamil se refirió a esta tensión como el ciclo de vulnerabilidad al que se enfrentan los refugiados y destacó cómo esto es especialmente pertinente en Sudamérica, donde el liderazgo de los refugiados aún está emergiendo lentamente. Navegar por un nuevo país y por sistemas desconocidos puede limitar la capacidad de los líderes y lideresas refugiadas para competir por la financiación de los donantes con organizaciones humanitarias más grandes, pero esto no niega el inestimable impacto que tienen.����

A pesar de enfrentarse a limitaciones estructurales e institucionales, los ponentes debatieron numerosos casos en los que los líderes refugiados se movilizaron como activistas y agentes del cambio. Llegaron a la conclusión de que los resultados del proyecto de investigación ofrecían una orientación optimista para redefinir el liderazgo y expresaron su esperanza de que la interpretación actual del término pueda ampliarse para incluir en mayor medida la forma en que los líderes refugiados aprenden, trabajan y generan cambios positivos.�� Como se subrayó a lo largo del debate, la participación significativa de los refugiados exige ir más allá de la representación simbólica y reconocer que el liderazgo de los refugiados difiere de las conceptualizaciones tradicionales. Desplazar el poder hacia soluciones localizadas significa crear espacios en los que los líderes refugiados puedan hacer oír su voz en los procesos de toma de decisiones que afectan a sus comunidades��

Para más información sobre el proyecto de investigación, puede visitar la página web �����í.����

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