In the evolving world of humanitarian aid, the sector community talks about localizing power by shifting leadership to refugee communities and enabling RLOs to take charge of their futures. But behind the effort to create valuable change that supports these organizations' growth lies a deeper question: When we are working to uplift these organizations, who gets seen in reality?

RSRI Executive Director Kari Diener announces her departure and reflects on the numerous milestones and achievements the RSRI has reached since she was hired as its first Executive Director in 2022.

The RSRI Community of Practice Survey revealed deep and broad-reaching impacts of the U.S. Executive orders, with a disproportionate impact on front-line, grassroots responders. Just a few weeks in, the halt in funding is already contributing to significant backsliding of self-reliance outcomes for refugees, other forcibly displaced populations, and host community members.

The RLO-Led Insights Fund aims to promote and elevate refugee-led research and refugee perspectives in building the self-reliance evidence base.

The Trump administration’s recent series of executive orders has led to monumental shifts in the global aid landscape. What does this mean for the RSRI network and the self-reliance of refugees?

In December 2023, the RSRI spearheaded the launch of the Multistakeholder Pledge on Economic Inclusion and Social Protection (EISP) at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in Geneva, the world’s largest gathering in support of refugees and the countries that host them. One year later, the RSRI reflects on the pledge’s progress and the future of self-reliance for refugees.

Following the results of Tuesday's elections in the U.S., our commitment to expanding opportunities for refugees and other forcibly displaced populations is stronger than ever.

In a step towards building an evidence base on what it takes to help refugees become and remain self-reliant, RefugePoint and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) collaborated to produce a knowledge-mapping and assessment of available research and evidence relating to self-reliance for refugees.

We see the Self-Reliance Index (SRI) as filling a critical gap in building an evidence base of “what works” in improving the health and welfare of refugee households. It will give us the data we need to improve our own programs, inform resource allocation, and scale effective approaches. As the global knowledge base increases through broad use of the SRI, so too will our ability to protect both the lives and livelihoods of refugees and their host communities.

Jane*, a Congolese refugee, lives in a small, tidy apartment on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya with her husband, two small children and adult brother. Her brother…