Browsing by Author "Sugow, Jamma Ali"

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    Exploring The Use of Participatory Communication in Enhancing Empowerment among Refugees in Dadaab Refugee Camp.
    (Daystar University, School of Communication, 2024) Sugow, Jamma Ali
    This research investigated the role of participatory communication in empowering refugees in Dadaab and focused on the approaches employed by UNHCR. The study addressed the problem of limited refugee agency and their lack of inclusion in decision-making processes affecting their lives and then further sought to understand how participatory communication could enhance refugee empowerment. The objectives were to identify the participatory communication channels used in Dadaab, assess how refugees are communicatively involved in the decision-making process, and examine how these approaches contributed to their empowerment. Guided by the participatory communication theory, the study employed a qualitative methodology drawing on in-depth interviews with refugee leaders and UNHCR staff. The research design chosen was exploratory. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who play a significant role in refugee communication and leadership. The findings revealed several participatory communication strategies used in the camp, including focus group discussions and community meetings. The study also found that refugees were involved in the communication process using hierarchical communication methods like section leaders and block leaders and the inclusion of vulnerable groups in discussions. About empowerment, the research found that the use of participatory communication in the camp resulted in the empowerment of refugees in Dadaab. The refugees were given a platform to influence key policies and legislations affecting them and redesign special livelihood programs to suit their needs and skills better. Overall, the study concluded that participatory communication fosters inclusion, co-creation of solutions and a sense of agency among refugees. The study recommended enhancing participatory strategies in refugee management to ensure more equitable and inclusive decision-making processes that better serve refugee communities and utilize emerging digital platforms to improve participatory communication in the camp.