Over 65 million people in the world are displaced (more than 21m of whom are refugees); more than 75% of all displaced people live outside camps, (UNHCR, 2016); Forced displacement is often a reality for multiple generations and most refugees run to countries near to their home country. Relief efforts to refugees cannot be credible or effective unless it incorporates effective rehabilitation and livelihood restoration that reflects the perspectives of refugees. Understanding refugee rehabilitation and livelihood strategies is a prerequisite to improved interventions by relief agencies. Over the years, assistance to refugees by host governments and relief agencies has not been implemented in ways that accord with the lives, priorities and development needs of the refugees. It is important for Host governments to refugees, relief agencies and host communities to work together to ensure that refugees are properly resettled, integrated, rehabilitated and offered sustainable livelihood restoration options.

Purpose of the Training

The training is intended to equip participants with skills and knowledge on how to design and implement safe and voluntary refugee return programmes while ensuring protection of vulnerable groups, social service provision, rehabilitation and livelihood restoration.

Objectives of the training

• To provide understanding on applicable principles for a safe and voluntary return of refugees
• To equip participants with knowledge on the rehabilitation of returnees and their integration into the host communities
• To empower participants with skills on design and implementation of income generating activities, social service delivery and livelihood restoration programmes

Target group

The course targets; Resettlement officers, Relief Agency Staff, Government Staff working on resettlement programmes/projects e.g. Sociologists, Environmentalists, Planners,  Land Acquisition Supervisors, Project Managers, among others.