In this special feature, a range of authors examine how localised or transnational acts of mobilisation can support the rights of forced migrants in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The voices of Palestinian women of Syria are often silenced in knowledge produced in humanitarian research and practice. ‘Speaking back’ sessions provide crucial insights into these women’s experiences and their relevance for discussions on rights mobilisation.

Refugee-led initiatives supporting refugee communities in the Middle East have developed in different ways in response to an often restrictive policy environment. The international humanitarian and research communities should acknowledge the capacity of these initiatives and find ways to listen to, learn from and collaborate with them more effectively.

A new regional network on statelessness in the Middle East and North Africa region is raising awareness and providing a platform for mobilisation.

Activists in the Sahara have mobilised to protect the rights of migrants to mobility and safety during their journeys to North Africa but they face significant challenges in a hostile political environment.

Minority refugees and their supporters in Jordan have tried to address the unmet needs of their marginalised communities through daily acts of resistance and informal network-building efforts.

A local service provider in Cairo has been partnering with refugee-led organisations to develop a decentralised network of community-based legal services in order to better protect refugees’ rights, while also working to promote the inclusion of refugees in broader decision-making processes.