Livelihoods and Integration

Livelihoods and Durable Solutions

Church World Service/IRP 2010 Conference,Miami, Florida

June 2, 2010

Objectives

1. Develop an understanding of challenges in implementing economic programs in contexts of displacement and early return.

2. Develop awareness of how economic programs serving the conflict-affected can be improved.

3. Identify linkages and application in U.S. resettlement context.

Livelihoods: What is it?

Aim of Livelihoods InitiativeTransform livelihood interventions to

improve quality and effectivenessPromote strategic, comprehensive

approaches based on individual needs Include gender lens on livelihood

approachesPromote strategies that are market-driven,

build on skills & lead to sustainable income

Consultations with Refugees

• “We want jobs”• “We want programs that lead to work”• “We need to make money”

3 year research project

Focus: identify what is happening, what are the gaps, what is needed to improve practice

Methodology10 field assessmentsGlobal researchFunded 7 pilot projectsAdvisory committee

San Diego

Colombia Liberia

Sudan

Kenya

EthiopiaThailand

Malaysia

EgyptNepal

Problems with Current Approaches

Displacement is viewed as temporary

Existing skills and life experience are seldom capitalized on

Market demand and economic context are little understood

Little understanding of livelihoods as a tool of protection

Conflict destroys livelihoods and forces people to adopt new strategies to support themselves

Enforced dependency / the administration of misery*

Desperation often leads to adoption of negative economic coping strategies that can increase exposure to GBV

Selling and bartering food rations and other humanitarian assistance becomes a vital component of a refugee’s livelihoods strategy

Lack of access to a means of livelihoods creates the conditions for GBV*

Consequences of Unsustainable

Livelihoods

Continued ConsequencesWaste of potential & erosion of

skillsLittle opportunity to pass on

livelihood to children

Trainings don’t lead to jobsPrograms don’t result in

sustainable incomeDisplaced remain dependent on

food aid & humanitarian assistance

Unprepared for “durable solution”

Assumptions Economic

opportunities have many positive roll-on effects

When women have income they are safer

When households have income their children are more likely to be in school, to be accessing health care, and are better fed

Challenges Confronting Current Livelihood

ProgramsCapitalizing on existing skills and life

experienceUnderstanding market demand and economic context – opportunities, barriers and constraintsBuilding capacity and expertise to design and implement programsLack of an evidence base about what works and

whyHost government policiesIdentifying and preparing people for emerging

markets

Improving Practice

Conceptual Framework

Livelihoods Analysis

Livelihoods assets

Financial Capital

NaturalCapital

Social Capital

Physical Capital

Human Capital

Conflict-Affected

Human Capital

• Health• Nutrition• Education• Knowledge and skills• Capacity to work• Capacity to adapt

Natural Capital• Land and produce• Water & aquatic

resources• Trees and forest

products• Wildlife• Wild foods & fibres• Biodiversity• Environmental

services

Social Capital• Networks and connections

o patronageo neighbourhoodso kinship

• Relations of trust and mutual support• Formal and informal groups• Common rules and sanctions• Collective representation• Mechanisms for participation in decision-

making• Leadership

Physical Capital

• Infrastructure• transport - roads, vehicles, etc.• secure shelter & buildings• water supply & sanitation• energy• communications

• Tools and techology• tools and equipment for production• seed, fertiliser, pesticides• traditional technology

Financial Capital

• Savings

• Credit/debt - formal, informal, NGOs

• Remittances

• Pensions

• Wages

Human capital• labour capacity/ physical strength• elementary school education• limited skillsNatural capital• landlessFinancial capital• low wages• no access to credit•No access to safe savingsPhysical capital• poor water supply• poor housing• limited electricitySocial capital• low social status• doesn’t belong to clubs or groups• strong links with family & friends= an extremely reduced “livelihood pentagon”

Out-of-school male

youth:Day Laborer

Financial Capital

Social Capital

Physical Capital

Human Capital

Natural Capital

Steps

Situation Analysis–Participatory Needs Assessment–Conflict Analysis Market Analysis Market Assessment Labor Market Assessment Value Chain Analysis Organizational Capacity Assessment

Situation AnalysisThe process of assessing a complex situation within its wider context, systematically gathering information, identifying the main problems and needs within a population, identifying the principle resources contained within that population, and analyzing the information gathered in order to facilitate the process of planning in a systematic, strategic and integrated manner.

Situation Analysis

• Goal: Assessment of the situation

– Identify the main needs, problems and resources.

– Assess the impact of the conflict (conflict analysis).

– Identify and consult the different stakeholders.

–Consult the target population (participatory needs assessment).

–Consult existing secondary information sources.

Conflict AnalysisGoal: Understand

the way in which conflict impacts livelihoods and longer term sustainability.

Conflict analysis entails assessing whether a program may perpetuate or renew the conflict

Participatory Needs Assessments

• Goal: Identify the livelihoods priorities of beneficiaries and of the surrounding community.

• Identify existing skills, experience and resources

• Inform the beneficiary group about the opportunities available.

The market analysis process involves conducting: 1)a market assessment; 2)a labor market assessment; and3)value chain analysis

Market Assessment

• Market assessments identify supply and demand for goods and services, the viability of occupations and enterprises, and market capacities and trends in the local community.

Questions to include in a market assessment are:

What priority goods and services are available?

Which goods are bought most often? How has conflict affected the availability and

the purchase of these goods? Where do people buy goods? How many buyers are there in a market

compared to sellers? Are wholesalers and traders able to respond

to an increase in demand for their goods? What are the government policies and

restrictions that affect the market economy? What is the rate of inflation?

• Programs must look at barriers to market access. Assessing the barriers that prevent a population from accessing a market is imperative to the success of an intervention

Labor Market Assessment

•

Value Chain Analysis

• Is a market analysis tool used to assess how products gain value as they pass through the range of activities needed to bring a product to market.

• Conducting a value chain analysis is important for assessing how to add value

to products and strengthen linkages with markets

Value chains look at the life cycle of a product for initial production through the chain of events and actors (including suppliers, manufacturers, traders) to final markets

• Mapping the value chain:• Clarifies market actors• Defines relationships among suppliers, producers, and

consumers• Enables practitioners to identify the most appropriate

livelihoods intervention based on where the value chain can be strengthened

A sample value chain

• INPUTS (tools, equipment, labor, capital, training and technical assistance)• PRODUCTION (using inputs to produce or process

goods to add value)• TRANSPORTATION/DISTRIBUTION (transporting goods

to buyers or distributors)• TRADE/MARKET ACCESS (getting finished product(s) to

local, national, regional and international end markets)

Organizational Capacity Assessment

Assess:• Governance•Management Practices• Finance• Technical/Service Delivery• Sustainability

Chapters Covering Direct Interventions

Training and placement

Cash- and food-for-work

programming

Building in-camp economies

Chapters Covering Direct Interventions

Supporting agrarian

interventions

Micro-finance

Enterprise development

Chapters Covering Related Issues

Working with host governments

Public-private partnerships

Leveraging remittances

Tools and Approaches

Situation analysisConflict analysisParticipatory needs

assessmentMarket assessmentOrganizational capacity

assessmentMonitoring and evaluation

3 Questions You Should Ask

1.How does your program identify and build on target beneficiaries’ skills, experience and current economic coping strategies?

2.How does your program link to market opportunities and address market barriers?

3.How do you measure program impact?

Dale Buscher, Director of ProtectionWomen’s Refugee CommissionDaleB@wrcommission.org 212.551.3129 skype.dale.buscherDownload the Livelihoods Manual at: http://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/component/remository/func-startdown/63

PHASE ONE

•CWS compilation of internal knowledge and white paper draft

•UC-Berkeley student research team project

PHASE TWO – NEXT STEPS

How would the concept of livelihoods developed for use overseas be applicable in the US?

Would a prospect of employment upon resettlement have influence on the type and structure of livelihoods programs overseas?

Could the focus of livelihoods/employment programs domestically be amended to focus more on the strengths of the programs overseas?

How would the expanded livelihood opportunities in the US affect the diasporic identity and the value of remittances sent back to the country of first asylum/origin?

What impact and connection could there be between the programs on both sides of the resettlement process?

How would expanded livelihood opportunities affect refugee integration in the US?