This paper investigates the impact of the long-term presence of Congolese refugees on the social life of host communities in Rwanda. By the end of 2017, Rwanda hosted over 80,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Notably, Congolese refugees and their Rwandan host communities share several cultural similarities.
The study examines three dimensions of social cohesion: (1) perceptions of safety within the community; (2) presence of formal and informal social networks; and (3) levels of trust in various groups, including the community itself, refugees, international organizations (IOs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The authors compare these outcomes for host communities at varying distances from refugee camps.
The analysis utilizes data from a household survey conducted in 2016 in host communities surrounding the three largest refugee camps: Gihembe, Kigeme and Kiziba. Additionally, focus group discussions with host community members were conducted to provide qualitative insights that complement the empirical results.
Main findings:
- There is no significant overall association between proximity to a refugee camp and perceptions of safety within a community. However, respondents living within 10 km of the Kigeme camp feel their community is slightly less safe compared to those living beyond 20 km, although this relationship is only marginally statistically significant.
- Proximity to a refugee camp does not significantly affect overall membership in local organizations. Host communities within 10 km of the Kigeme camp are more likely to belong to a local organization compared to those living further away. Conversely, those within 10 km of the Gihembe camp are less likely to belong to a local organization. No significant association is found for the Kiziba camp.
- There is a slightly higher prevalence of informal social networks in communities closer to the camps. Living within 10 km of a camp increases the likelihood of having an informal social network compared to living further away. This result is primarily driven by households near the Kigeme camp, where access to informal social networks is relatively low.
- Living close to a camp is associated with lower levels of trust within one’s own community. This result is evident in host communities surrounding the Kigeme camp, with no significant association found for the Gihembe or Kiziba camps.
- There is no overall association between proximity to a refugee camp and trust in international organizations (IOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or the refugee population itself. However, respondents living within 10 km of the Kiziba camp exhibit higher levels of trust towards refugees compared to those living further away.
- Focus group discussions revealed that cultural proximity, increased social and economic interactions over time, and support from international organizations and NGOs contribute to positive relations between refugees and host communities.
Overall, the study finds no significant adverse associations between proximity to refugee camps and social cohesion in host communities, apart from trust within one’s own community. This negative association is primarily driven by a single refugee camp, highlighting the importance of local context, and challenging the notion of a general adverse effect. The study also reveals a positive association between proximity to refugee camps and membership in informal social networks. The varying results across different camps for both formal and informal networks underscore the critical role of local context in shaping these outcomes. The authors suggest that cultural proximity between refugees and host communities, along with increased economic and social interactions, may contribute positively to social cohesion in host communities.