Youth Education Programming and Peacebuilding in Dadaab Refugee Camp, UNICEF, December 2015

This study will look at the opportunities and challenges of peacebuilding through education in Kenya’s Dadaab Refugee Camp and how, in this context, PBEA interventions might strengthen resilience.

This document is intended to be used by UNICEF staff, implementing partner ministries, and organizations and other practitioners in the wider fields of Education in Emergencies as well as education and peacebuilding. It will explore how education might advance peacebuilding and resilience amongst refugees residing in Dadaab, as well as post-conflict reconstruction in Somalia upon repatriation of Somali refugees (97 per cent of the refugees in Dadaab are Somali), through UNICEF supported YEP programming for refugee adolescents and youth. This is particularly important given recent efforts by the Government of Kenya to close Dadaab. It will also explore opportunities for UNICEF to develop and work with partners to implement PBEA interventions even more effectively and the challenges facing programme efforts. It is hoped that the study will contribute to discussions and planning to strengthen peacebuilding through education initiatives designed to increase access to quality education and employment opportunities for refugee adolescents and youth.

Using an analysis based on the PBEA theory of change , the report finds strong indicators on one of three outputs (provision of the programme), and mixed evidence in regards to the other two outputs (culturally and economically ‘relevant’ and ‘appropriate’ education and programme graduates establishing businesses and/or gaining employment). Preliminary signs of increasing levels of resilience were also noted, at least in terms of increasing hope and optimism among refugees.

Download the full report: Youth Education Programming and Peacebuilding in Dadaab Refugee Camp