Paper details
| Paper authors | Effie Mburu, Jennifer Wilson |
| In panel on | Reuniting Families, Upholding Rights: RFL between Policy, Practice, and Protection |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
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Abstract
Family reunification involves reuniting families separated due to conflict, disasters, or other crises. Recognized as a fundamental right in humanitarian and legal contexts, family reunification restores dignity, stability, and protection, especially for children and vulnerable individuals. While States have a legal obligation to create frameworks that support family reunification, too often, family reunification procedures are lengthy, complex, expensive, and fraught with barriers that make them particularly challenging for refugees to navigate. This paper draws on the experiences of refugees in Kenya and the non-governmental and refugee-led actors working to support them as they pursue family reunification with loved ones in third countries. It examines the hurdles encountered and shared good practices that are emerging to advance refugees’ access to family reunification. Specifically, it considers how practical support delivered to refugees in departure country contexts plays an essential role, and highlights how partnerships across departure country, legal service, and destination country actors–both prior to and following an application being lodged–can help to ensure that refugee families are able to reunite. Finally, the paper presents recommendations for policies and practices that can contribute to family reunification systems that are more flexible, favourable, accessible, and viable for refugee applicants.
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