African Refugees and Neighborhood Social Cohesion: Reflections on Policy Priorities in the Era of Refugee Resettlement

As refugee situations around the world become increasingly protracted, refugees often leave refugee camps but do not return home.  Refugees may exist in host communities, yet are not true residents.  This paper reflects on the impact of refugee policy through the lens of a small West African country, The Republic of The Gambia.  Between 1990 – 2004, The Gambia hosted refugees in six refugee camps throughout the country.  Refugees in The Gambia largely emanate from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Casamance region of Senegal, having fled due to violence and political upheaval in their home countries.  According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) Regional West Africa report, as of mid-2013 there were 9,603 refugees in The Gambia.  Policy frameworks have rendered The Gambia attractive to refugees.  The country has porous borders and lacks effective immigration controls (U.S. Department of State, 2012).  It is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), granting the right to work to nationals of other ECOWAS states.   The Gambia’s approach to refugees is in keeping with the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, and the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention.  The Gambian government cooperates with the UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations, including the Gambia Red Cross Society, to protect refugees (U.S. Department of State, 2012).  Despite repatriation packages being offered to many refugees by their home countries, few have returned home, instead choosing to stay in Gambian neighborhoods.  In our research examining 943 10^th and 11^th grade students at six Gambian senior secondary schools, refugee and non-refugee participants completed a self-report survey (the Social and Health Assessment).  Refugee youth reported significantly higher levels of post-traumatic stress reaction, delinquent behavior, and exposure to violence in their current Gambian neighborhoods compared to their Gambian peers.  Among Gambian youth, those living in neighborhoods with a refugee presence were more likely than those living in neighborhoods without refugees to report higher levels of community and school violence exposure.  Perceptions of neighborhood emerged as a significant moderator in the link between refugee status and delinquent behavior.  Negative perceptions of neighborhood were related to increased levels of delinquent behavior among refugee youth, but not among Gambian youth.  Contemporary refugee policy should shift its focus to resettlement issues, including improving neighborhood cohesion and collective efficacy.