In partnership with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Faith to Action Network organised a series of regional consultations with faith actors in the East and Horn of Africa, Southern Africa and Northern Africa regions. The three consultations brought together 78 faith actors to share personal experiences and perspectives, best practices, and recommendations for the inclusion and protection of refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), migrants and returnees in their regions.

Participants joined from Egypt in the North Africa region; Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia in the East and Horn of Africa regions; and Eswatini, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Zambia in the Southern Africa region. Each consultation hosted 15-30 participants (27 from the East and Horn of Africa region, 34 from the Southern Africa region and 17 from North Africa) and was facilitated by a locally selected facilitator who was familiar with the region and context. The consultations were held online using the Zoom platform and lasted 3 hours.

The interventions represented by contributors were equally varied and ranged from humanitarian to psycho-social, from legal accompaniment to peacebuilding with host communities. Some of the interventions resisted conventional silos, integrating peacebuilding into humanitarian, income generating and educational initiatives benefitting hosts as well as refugees or migrants.

Contributors identified structural barriers to assisting the “stranger” – such as limited access to services, administrative and political obstacles to legally registering and obtaining identification documents, and delays in family reunification. These obstacles render people more vulnerable to harassment from police or host community members. Funding and capacity constraints lead to overcrowding and degradation of human dignity

Read the whole report here: Faith to Action Network Welcoming the Stranger Report