Human Security and the Protection of Refugees in Africa

This chapter focuses on the so called ‘protracted’ refugee situations which have proved the most problematic in terms of human security in Africa and the way in which recent United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-led initiatives may address these concerns. The chapter first outlines the legal and political environment in which refugee movements occur, the nature of refugee flows in Africa, and the security concerns which have arisen from these. It then discusses the meaning of ‘human security’ as it applies to refugee situations. It considers the implications that recent UNHCR initiatives and the restrictive refugee policies of many asylum host states may have for the human security of refugees within Africa. Finally, the chapter questions whether the concept of ‘human security’ is one that should be utilized in the refugee context at all.