Experiences of refugees: Understanding challenges of Eritrean refugees, Alemwach site, Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia has progressive refugee policies and proclamation, particularly the “out of camp policy,” that allows Eritrean refugees to live outside of designated refugee camps. However, the implementation of these policies has been problematic, leading Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia to face significant barriers. The purpose of this research was to understand the specific difficulties faced by Eritrean refugees in the Alemwach site, Ethiopia. An ecological system and human rights framework were used to understand the challenges. A qualitative case study design was employed to explore the challenges. The study employed a purposive snowball sampling technique to select 10 participants. In-depth interviews, observations, and documents were used for data collection. The analysis of this data identified six themes that capture the complex and multifaceted challenges experienced by Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia: ongoing psychosocial challenges due to forced displacement; freedom of movement; the right to work; relationship with the host communities; security and crime; and document restoration and vital life events registration. Effective strategies must be developed to mitigate these challenges and align policy implementation with the realities of refugee experiences. The findings have implications for social work, psychology, and law.