Competing Legal Norms in the Dadaab Refugee Camps in Kenya: Competing Norms
Author
Fokou, Jean Pierre
Term
4. term
Publication year
2012
Submitted on
2012-01-02
Pages
53
Abstract
I Dadaab-flygtningelejrene i Kenya – og i Afrika mere generelt – bliver nogle af flygtninges grundlæggende rettigheder ikke fuldt ud respekteret. Det betyder, at mange i lange perioder forbliver afhængige af internationale rationer og har svært ved at skabe stabile liv i lejrene. Myndigheder, humanitære organisationer og NGO’er retter ofte indsatsen mod akutte behov frem for at bygge veje til selvforsørgelse. Afhandlingen præsenterer kvalitativt materiale, som viser, at overlappende eller konkurrerende juridiske normer og praksisser i Dadaab, samt mangelfuld efterlevelse af centrale beskyttelser i FN’s Flygtningekonvention fra 1951 og OAU’s flygtningekonvention (en regional aftale), har medvirket til at fastholde afhængighed snarere end at fremme selvstændighed. Kenya har tiltrådt begge instrumenter, men inkonsekvent respekt for disse normer begrænser flygtninges muligheder for at blive politisk, socialt og økonomisk uafhængige. Studiet bidrager til en kritisk forståelse af, hvordan respekt for flygtninges grundlæggende rettigheder og internationale standarder kan mindske langvarig afhængighed af rationer.
In the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya—and in parts of Africa more broadly—some basic rights of refugees are not fully respected. As a result, many remain dependent on international rations for long periods and struggle to build stable lives in the camps. Governments, humanitarian agencies, and NGOs often focus on immediate relief rather than pathways to self-sufficiency. This thesis presents qualitative evidence showing that overlapping or competing legal norms and practices in Dadaab, together with weak implementation of key protections in the 1951 Refugee Convention and the OAU Refugee Convention, have reinforced dependency rather than self-reliance. Although Kenya is a signatory to both instruments, inconsistent respect for these norms limits refugees’ ability to become politically, socially, and economically independent. The study contributes to a critical understanding of how upholding refugees’ basic rights and international standards can reduce long-term reliance on rations.
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