Towards a Refugee Livelihoods Approach: Findings from Cameroon, Jordan, Malaysia and Turkey

This note from the field explores the purpose, process and value of using a sustainable-livelihoods framework and operational map to study refugee livelihoods. The current absence of a livelihoods framework specifically tailored to refugees has created a gap not only in research, but in policy development and application. This article reflects on the utility of this methodology to generate insight into the lives of refugees in four diverse contexts: Central African Republic (CAR) refugees in Cameroon; Rohingya refugees in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Syrian refugees in Zarqa, Jordan; and Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey. The framework was helpful in that it enabled us to explore how refugees perceive their context, risks and possibilities as well their objectives, actions and strategies. As per Levine’s methodology, starting with refugees and their perceptions unlocked a new way of looking at the environment within which refugees try to sustain themselves and a deeper understanding of how refugees’ perceptions dictate their livelihood goals, strategies and actions. This article extends analysis to consider the broader policy implications that this specific methodological approach supports.