The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) organized a one-and-half-day stakeholders’ consultation on August 14–15, 2024, in Addis Ababa. The consultation is a follow-up to the human rights situation monitoring of urban refugees and asylum seekers in the city. The event brought together government organizations, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sectors, refugee representatives and Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs).
EHRC presented key monitoring findings, highlighting how registration and documentation-related challenges exposed refugees and asylum seekers to the risk of arbitrary detention and other human rights violations. Additionally, restricted freedom of movement, difficulties in obtaining work permits, limited access to justice, deprivation of safety and security and limited access to job opportunities were underscored. During the subsequent discussion, participants identified the lack of coordinated efforts, awareness among service-providing institutions and insufficient resources as major obstacles to protecting and realizing rights of urban refugees.
The consultation further emphasized the role of RLOs in Ethiopia, particularly in addressing the unique challenges faced by diverse refugee communities in Addis Ababa. Despite their importance, many RLOs remain informal, which limits their access to resources and reduces their effectiveness. The discussion highlighted the need to simplify the registration process, increase RLOs participation in decision-making and provide capacity-building and funding support to enhance their impact and sustainability. Participants also stressed that refugees play a crucial role in improving their communities and often serve as first responders, making their engagement essential for an effective overall response.
The Refugee and Returnees Service (RRS), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC), Inkomoko, and other organizations shared their experiences and challenges in the operational landscape. The Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS) discussed the status of RLOs in Ethiopia, drawing comparisons with the experiences of RLOs in Kenya and Uganda as presented by a refugee representative from Nairobi, Kenya.
Following the discussions, participants developed an action plan focusing on registration and documentation, freedom of movement, access to justice, the right to work and safety and security of urban refugees.
Rakeb Messele, the Acting Chief Commissioner of EHRC, emphasized the necessity of coordinated efforts to address the concern of urban refugees and continued collaboration, including improved data sharing, to enhance communication and reduce duplication of efforts. Rakeb reiterated the necessity of strengthening shared responsibility and international solidarity to ensure better protection for urban refugees and asylum seekers rights.
