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杏吧原创

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Refugee Leadership in South America and East Africa

Table of Contents

1. Study Reports
1.1 South America Study Report: 鈥淭he Politics and Processes of Refugee Leadership鈥
1.2 Informe del estudio sobre Sudam茅rica 芦La pol铆tica y el proceso del liderazgo de los refugiados禄
1.3 East Africa Study Report: 鈥淭he Politics and Processes of Refugee Leadership鈥
1.4 Synthesis Report: Refugee-Led Responses and Agency in East Africa, the Middle East, and South America
2. Relevant Events and Publications
3. Research Teams
3.1 South America Team
3.2 East Africa Team

The Politics and Process of Refugee Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of Factors  Conditioning Refugee Leadership in Global South

This 18-month comparative study on the politics and process of refugee leadership in the global South, with a specific focus on South America and East Africa is generously supported by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.

This research is a collaboration between  (Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table) and LERRN (the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network), with the active cooperation of the  (Refugee-led Research Hub) in East Africa and  (the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies) in the Asia Pacific region. The project builds on LERRN鈥檚 recent work with its partners on the impact of refugee-led organizations in East Africa and the Middle East, and seeks to inform research, policy and practice on the conditions that enable or constrain refugees from demonstrating leadership in navigating local, national and regional power structures to influence the development and implementation of policy and programmes intended to affect the daily lives of refugees.

This 18-month project will emphasize the active and equal participation of researchers with lived experience of displacement in developing the research methodology, conducting research, producing knowledge, and mobilizing knowledge to influence research, policy and practice.

Study Reports

South America Study Report: 鈥淭he Politics and Processes of Refugee Leadership鈥

Informe del estudio sobre Sudam茅rica 芦La pol铆tica y el proceso del liderazgo de los refugiados禄

East Africa Study Report: 鈥淭he Politics and Processes of Refugee Leadership鈥

Synthesis Report: Refugee-Led Responses and Agency in East Africa, the Middle East, and South America

Relevant Events and Publications

On February 6, 2025, Gerda Henkel Foundation and LERRN hosted a webinar called The Politics and Process of Refugee Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of Factors Conditioning Refugee Leadership in Global South.

Learn from our research teams on their findings of the 18-month comparative study on the politics and process of refugee leadership in the global South, with a specific focus on South America and East Africa. The research study is generously supported by the Gerda Henkel Foundation and facilitated by LERRN, 杏吧原创 University.

Webinar Post-Event Report

Advancing South-South Strategic Dialogue on Refugee Leadership

On 15 December 2025, LERRN and R-SEAT co-hosted a panel discussion at R-Space in Geneva on the theme 鈥淏uilding Bridges Across Regions: Refugee-Led Dialogue Between …

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New Report Published 鈥 Refugee-Led Responses and Agency in East Africa, the Middle East, and South America

We are pleased to announce the release of the new synthesis report titled Refugee-Led Responses and Agency in East Africa, the Middle East, and South …

Blog Post: Gender equality 鈥 More than just a women鈥檚 issue

by Lavender Mboya “These displacements have made the people very vulnerable and especially the men, our most vulnerable people, although when you go to the organization …

Fieldwork Notes: Research with Migrant and Refugee Leaders

Takeaways From the Fieldwork in Chile and Colombia by Constanza Lobos, Stephanie L贸pez Villamil As part of the project 鈥淭he Politics and Process of Refugee Leadership: …

Blog Post: Voices of Resilience. Inspiration and Challenges of Refugee Leadership in Kakuma

by Pascal Zigashane, LERRN Research Associate, Executive Director at Action pour le Progres (CBO) This blog builds on findings from the LERRN study 鈥淭he Politics …

Webinar Report 鈥 The Politics and Process of Refugee Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of Factors Conditioning Refugee Leadership in Global South

Para la versi贸n en espa帽ol, despl谩cese hasta la parte inferior de esta p谩gina. On February 08, 2025, the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) hosted …

In the latest blog Pascal Zigashane explores the motivations that drive refugees to take on leadership roles in Kakuma refugee camp, highlighting gaps in humanitarian services as a key factor. The author emphasizes the vital role refugee leaders play in camp settings and urges readers to critically reflect on the barriers including entrenched tokenism that hinder their meaningful participation in influencing decisions that directly affect their lives. The blog calls on national and international communities to meaningfully embrace refugee leadership as a pathway to practical solutions in protracted refugee situations.

Research Teams

South America Team

Stephanie L贸pez Villamil

  • Gerda Henkel Foundation Scholarship Recipient; South America Project Lead Researcher
  • Email Stephanie

Alexis Torreblanca Urz煤a

Chrysalide Duarte Castro

Constanza Lobos Guerrero

East Africa Team

Ronald Sebba Kalyango

  • Gerda Henkel Foundation Scholarship Recipient; East Africa Project Lead Researcher
  • Email Ronald Sebba

Andrew Sajja

Lavender Mboya

Pascal Zigashane

  • Research Associate 鈥 Kakuma, Kenya

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