Humans and animals in refugee camps
Animals play an important role in human experiences of forced displacement and this is particularly visible in settings of encampment. Camps are often shaped by the need to accommodate animals as well as humans; ‘goat barns’ and animal markets are…
The role of rural grocery stores in refugee reception
In Denmark, asylum seekers are required to stay in asylum centres while their asylum applications are processed. During this time they are not allowed to work or pursue education but are provided with accommodation and a small stipend to buy…
Collaboration with criminal organisations in Colombia: an obstacle to economic recovery
To date, the Colombian government has registered over 7,300,000 victims of forced displacement as a result of the nation’s many years of conflict.[1] Given that forced displacement is known to result in high levels of extreme poverty (affecting 85% of…
Syrian economies: a temporary boom?
When civil war erupted in 2011, Raqqa in northeastern Syria was not directly engaged in the conflict, and thus many Syrians from other provinces – such as Deir Az Zor, Homs and Hama – fled to Raqqa. They mainly settled…
Obstacles to refugees’ self-reliance in Germany
Since the height of the so-called refugee crisis in 2015, Germany has accepted around 830,000 asylum applications.[1] Given the country’s ageing population, falling birth rate and decreasing availability of skilled workers, fully utilising refugees’ capacities in the labour market has…
The new world of work and the need for digital empowerment
The digital divide broadly speaking refers to gaps created in society based on access to and use of technology.[1] It is typically described as a twofold concept: a divide based on access to technology and a divide based on skills…
Investing in refugees: building human capital
The protracted nature of forced displacement worldwide has brought to the fore not only refugees’ humanitarian needs but also the development challenges they face. These daunting challenges emerge in four critical and interlinked areas.[1] Refugees – in particular, refugee children…
Towards greater visibility and recruitment of skilled refugees
Refugees face multiple barriers to gaining access to employment. In addition to the frequent lack of access to the right to work in host countries and the lack of accessible legal and safe economic migration pathways, there are added barriers…
Validating highly educated refugees’ qualifications
Whether doctors, teachers, engineers or IT specialists, the highly educated refugees I interviewed in Norway, Sweden and Germany between 2016 and 2017 aspired to continue working within their occupational fields. In order to do so they need to validate their…