From Reliance to Resiliency: How Refugee Camps are Pioneering in Sustainable Development despite Political Barriers
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Type
Submission
Keywords
Prolonged displacement, sustainable development, community based initiatives, refugee self-reliance, climate resilience, fragmented governance & policy, renewable energy, micro-grids, agricultural innovation
Department
International Studies and Languages
Major
International Studies: Global Politics
Abstract
Refugee camps are designed at the outset to be short-term solutions and single-use oriented. Refugee crises have become increasingly prolonged, major gaps appear in settlement infrastructure, resource management, and policy design. Refugee camp communities are forced to grapple with long-term rather than short-term displacement. Camps have recognized the need to turn away from reliance and turn towards resiliency. Drawing from case studies such as the Zaatari camp in Jordan and the Kakuma settlement in Kenya, this paper argues that the implementation of solar energy systems and climate-resilient agriculture programs reflects a broader desire to focus on sustainability and self-sufficiency within displaced communities. Through community-based sustainable development initiatives, refugees have begun to rebuild muddy roads and tattered tents into stable, green cities from the ground up. While proven to be effective on a case-by-case basis, these initiatives are constrained and difficult to scale. Restrictive host county policies, fragmented governance, inconsistent funding mechanisms, and broad exclusion of refugees from global development/sustainability frameworks limit the expansion of these efforts. While refugee-led and community-driven innovation is pioneering a shift toward resilience, widespread transformation depends on the alignment of grassroots initiatives in tandem with formal policy reform and integrated governance structures.
Faculty Mentor
Felicity Vabulas
Funding Source or Research Program
Not Identified
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
10-4-2026 1:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2026 2:00 PM
From Reliance to Resiliency: How Refugee Camps are Pioneering in Sustainable Development despite Political Barriers
Waves Cafeteria
Refugee camps are designed at the outset to be short-term solutions and single-use oriented. Refugee crises have become increasingly prolonged, major gaps appear in settlement infrastructure, resource management, and policy design. Refugee camp communities are forced to grapple with long-term rather than short-term displacement. Camps have recognized the need to turn away from reliance and turn towards resiliency. Drawing from case studies such as the Zaatari camp in Jordan and the Kakuma settlement in Kenya, this paper argues that the implementation of solar energy systems and climate-resilient agriculture programs reflects a broader desire to focus on sustainability and self-sufficiency within displaced communities. Through community-based sustainable development initiatives, refugees have begun to rebuild muddy roads and tattered tents into stable, green cities from the ground up. While proven to be effective on a case-by-case basis, these initiatives are constrained and difficult to scale. Restrictive host county policies, fragmented governance, inconsistent funding mechanisms, and broad exclusion of refugees from global development/sustainability frameworks limit the expansion of these efforts. While refugee-led and community-driven innovation is pioneering a shift toward resilience, widespread transformation depends on the alignment of grassroots initiatives in tandem with formal policy reform and integrated governance structures.