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Comparison of Four Different Livelihood Programmes for Urban Refugee Women in Durban, South Africa: Insights from the Capability Approach

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  • Laura Van Raemdonck

    (University of Antwerp)

Abstract

The study presents a comparison of four different livelihood programmes for refugee women, offered by Refugee Social Services, a Durban-based non-governmental organisation. These programmes cover home-based childcare, peer/community education, beauty salons, and product development. The first two programmes are social innovative as these directly and creatively respond to social needs of local communities in Durban. Examples of community demands are the need for childcare and HIV/AIDS prevention. The latter two programmes mainly focus on gaining economic advantages. The research methodology is qualitative, 18 in-depth interviews were conducted with ten staff members and eight clients of Refugee Social Services. The capability approach was applied to identify and review enhancing and impairing aspects of the programmes with regard to the refugee women’s capabilities and human agency to self-settle in an urban context. The enhancing factors include training, support to start up and maintain a micro-business, a safe and child-friendly workspace, integrational benefits of enhanced social capital, and income security. The impairing factors include institutional barriers, an unsafe workspace, and insufficient and/or unstable income. The paper makes suggestions for interpreting the outcomes of the programme comparison. The study highlights that in order to effectively expand refugees’ capabilities and human agency to self-settle in an urban context, stakeholders should start partnerships while advocating for a combination of two intervention strategies: implementing validated livelihood programmes and addressing structural obstacles to refugees’ ability to become self-reliant. Recommendations are proposed to fulfil these objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Van Raemdonck, 2019. "Comparison of Four Different Livelihood Programmes for Urban Refugee Women in Durban, South Africa: Insights from the Capability Approach," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 497-519, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joimai:v:20:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s12134-018-0618-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s12134-018-0618-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ingrid Robeyns, 2003. "Sen'S Capability Approach And Gender Inequality: Selecting Relevant Capabilities," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2-3), pages 61-92.
    2. Amartya Sen, 1987. "Gender and Cooperative Conflicts," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-1987-018, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Alloush, Mohamad & Taylor, J. Edward & Gupta, Anubhab & Rojas Valdes, Ruben Irvin & Gonzalez-Estrada, Ernesto, 2017. "Economic Life in Refugee Camps," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 334-347.
    4. Anthony Gathambĩri Waiganjo, 2018. "Coping Mechanisms in Navigating Xenophobia-Afrophobia-Related Challenges Within the Transnational Space: Case of Somali Refugee Women in Gauteng, South Africa," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 649-666, August.
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