Nairobi: Kenya ranked best hospitable berth for refugees

A new international study released Wednesday has shown that Kenya is one of the most refugee – friendly nation in the region.

Results from the 2017 Aurora Humanitarian Index which ranked opinions about migrants with respondents in Kenya, has shown the highest or second highest proportion of respondents with positive views and attitudes towards refugees.

The study showed 87 per cent agree that they would welcome refugees to Kenya, compared with a total of only 37 per cent respondents globally who would welcome refugees to their respective country.

According to the report 95 per cent agree that refugees deserve help and 92 percent agree that people who are forced to flee to save their life or preserve their freedom deserve a second chance in another country, the highest proportion of respondents across countries to think so and compared with 61 per cent of total respondents.

With at least 50 per cent of the respondents saying that Kenya has made a better place to live for people from other countries. This is the highest percentage across all countries surveyed, compared to 34 per cent of total respondents.

With more of the respondents likely to say they have done something in the past to help manage or address the refugee crisis than respondents overall, with the highest or second highest in all actions tested – across fundraising, making a one-off or regular donation, supporting a charity on social media, signing a petition, attending a meeting or demonstration, donating goods, or offering accommodation or shelter for refugees, or volunteering in areas affected by the refugee crisis.

“The sense of apathy towards humanitarianism today highlights an urgent need for engagement in every sector,” said Ruben Vardanyan, co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative (AHI)

Economy

The study showed 44 per cent of respondents believe that people who come to live in Kenya generally create new jobs, rather than taking away jobs from other workers in the country. This is the second highest proportion of respondents after Armenia at 45 per cent.

Second highest proportion shows that at least 30 per cent of the Kenyan respondents believe that most people who come to the country put in more through working and paying taxes than they take out through health and welfare services, compared with 17 per cent of total respondents.

Also, 61 per cent of respondents in Kenya believe that legally established immigrants should easily be able to become citizens of Kenya, the second highest proportion after the U.S., which had 63 per cent of respondents agree with this statement.

Despite the overwhelming majority of respondents in Kenya who believe that refugees deserve help, many think that the country has now taken on too many refugees, potentially putting Kenyan culture at risk.

The same Kenyan feel optimistic that it is possible to make a difference and act to solve the global refugee crisis.

The 2017 Aurora Humanitarian Index will be presented on Sunday, May 28 in Yerevan, Armenia during the Aurora Dialogues, a platform for the world’s leading humanitarians, academics, philanthropists, business leaders and civil society to bring awareness to today’s most pressing humanitarian challenges