Collective Responsibility: Ensuring Protection and Solutions for Refugees in Nigeria
Collective Responsibility: Ensuring Protection and Solutions for Refugees in Nigeria
Forcibly displaced individuals confront a journey fraught with challenges, far beyond the immediate concerns of shelter and safety. Rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of upheaval means navigating a complex landscape of uncertainty and fear. It's a process that demands resilience and determination. This path involves piecing together the fragments of their disrupted lives, crafting a new narrative where they can once again look forward with hope and confidence, and assert control over their destinies.
“When I left Cameroon for Nigeria in 2019, I was devastated and had no idea of what would become of my aspirations and family. I virtually lost everything but was lucky enough to find a place to call home,” says Laban, a Cameroonian refugee in Adagom refugee settlement, Cross River State.
The UNHCR is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions for refugees by implementing the Global Compact on Refugees. This framework seeks to foster a more predictable and equitable sharing of responsibilities, underlining the necessity of international cooperation for resolving refugee situations effectively. Currently, Nigeria is home to 87,000 refugees and asylum seekers, with the majority coming from Cameroon.
As Laban began rebuilding his life in Nigeria, he, along with other refugees, decided to establish a Community-Based Organization (CBO) called the Great Step Initiative. As the coordinator of the CBO, he was sponsored to attend high-profile seminars and programs, including the Africa Union’s Humanitarian Summit in Equatorial Guinea, the UNHCR Advisory Board Meeting in Geneva, and the African refugee-led organization programme in South Africa. Through these platforms, Laban served as a powerful voice for refugees, ensuring their experiences and needs were central to international dialogues and policy-making efforts.
Laban also attended the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in Geneva in December 2023. It provided him the opportunity to interact with many refugees from different countries and actively contributed to shaping the outcomes of the global discussions. “My perception of being a refugee has changed profoundly. I believe that refugees can solve complex challenges that affect them and contribute positively to the host economy”, he says.
The Forum is the world’s largest international gathering on refugees, designed to support the practical implementation of the objectives set out in the Global Compact on Refugees. These objectives include alleviating pressures on host nations, boosting refugee self-reliance, expanding options for resettlement in third countries, and enhancing conditions in countries of origin. Held every four years, the Forum convenes a diverse group of participants, including states, refugees, host communities, development bodies, the private sector, civil society, faith-based organizations, and other key stakeholders committed to the welfare of refugees.
As a member of the UNHCR’s advisory board for forcibly displaced and stateless people and coordinator of the CBO, Laban’s commitment to becoming a proponent of refugee solutions is resolute. He has led awareness sessions for refugee leaders, identifying and showcasing the diverse skills and strengths of various refugees and communities to underscore the significant benefits of collaboration, resilience, and determination.
“My primary goal is to empower refugees by providing them with solutions that enhance their self-reliance, opening the door for limitless opportunities. Today, I can confidently say there is hope despite being a refugee”, Laban concluded.
With support from UNHCR and several international donors, the CBO has trained over 80 refugees and hosts on various entrepreneurship and vocational skills such as soap-making, shoe/bag-making, hairdressing, and digital marketing.
Laban supervises the training of refugee women and girls by GSI in Adagom refugee settlement, Cross River State.