Livelihood Reports Al Amrikeya Area - Final Assessment | Page 195

In the past, contentions were made that refu-
gee assistance and integration is an economi-
cally taxing endeavor with little financial return.
This outlook paints the picture of refugees as
parasitic entities that impose a massive burden
on host nations. In cases where refugees con-
fined within camps this may be true, due to a
lack of resources and without the prospect of
self-sufficiency. In cities, refugees have been
found to greatly benefit host communities in
many instances. An IMF report indicates that
the influx of refugees has been associated with
GDP growth and fiscal expansion in recent years.
Previous examples also exist in which skills and
job opportunities were created through the in-
flow of refugees, such as in Tanzania and Rwan-
da in the 1960s and 70s. However, long-term
predictions of the impact of incoming refugees
Figure 72: The Indicators of Integration Framework
137 | INTERVENTION PROPOSALS
are difficult to make as the fruits of this surge
of incomers relies on how integrated they be-
come within their host states and communities.
Integration has been cited as a key element for
the success of refugee-host relations both from
a humanitarian and an economic perspective.
Affording refugees the chance to work and con-
tribute to communities, as opposed to confin-
ing them in camps, has shown to improve their
wellbeing as well as benefit local communities.
The following framework (Figure 72), which has
been formulated by Queen Mary University
College’s Ager and Strang, defines integration: