Back to basics: Re-centring refugees in humanitarian and development action
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21153/thl2025art2264Keywords:
refugees, refugee-led organisation, RLO, localisation, sustainable agricultureAbstract
Despite decades of rhetoric around localisation and inclusion, mainstream humanitarian and development systems continue to marginalise refugees, relegating them to passive recipients of aid rather than recognising them as capable leaders and innovators. This article critiques the entrenched architecture of exclusion that defines much of global aid practice, arguing that meaningful reform must begin with re-centring refugees as agents of change. Drawing on recent evidence from refugee-led organisations (RLOs) such as the Vijana Twaweza Community (VTC) in Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, the article showcases the productivity, contextual intelligence, and transformative potential of refugee-led development, particularly in sustainable agriculture. It highlights how RLOs are already filling critical gaps left by international actors, despite facing legal, financial, and structural barriers. The article explores how scalable, tech-enabled knowledge sharing could support the growth of such initiatives and calls for a fundamental shift in how resources are distributed and how refugees are included. Ultimately, it argues that empowering RLOs is not only a moral imperative but a pragmatic strategy for a more effective and just humanitarian future. The real question is no longer whether refugees can lead, but whether the sector is willing to follow.
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