Who We Are
The Forced Migration & Displacement Research Hub is an academic initiative dedicated to advancing scholarship and the practical application of international refugee law. With the ever-broadening refugee crisis that is palpable the world over, the need for a regional forced migration and displacement research centre is ever-present. It is this lacuna that the Forced Migration & Displacement Research Hub seeks to fill. A profound gap exists between the historical practice of hosting displaced populations and the limited academic and professional exploration of forced migration. This Hub addresses the regional deficit of institutions offering formal education in forced migration studies and the need for more refugee law practice, further exacerbated by the continual decline in legislative and policy frameworks concerning displaced persons. By focusing on the localisation of knowledge production and proactive responses to forced displacement, the Hub aspires to contribute meaningfully to legislative and policy reforms, enhancing outcomes for individual cases and influencing broader regional and national policy development.
Recent Documents
Mission
Vision
Values
The Hub will seek to bolster an ethos of the following virtuous, modern, and thoughtful values:
- Excellence: Dedication to producing rigorous, high-quality research and maintaining the highest professional standards.
- Compassion: Empathy and understanding should be prioritized in research and interactions, ensuring the dignity and humanity of displaced populations are at the forefront.
- Innovation: Driving forward-thinking, multidisciplinary approaches that generate novel solutions to complex challenges related to forced migration and displacement.
- Advocacy for Justice: Committed to upholding and advancing the rights of displaced individuals, promoting fair and equitable treatment in law and policy.
- Social Impact: Engaging in research and initiatives that contribute positively to society, influencing meaningful policy changes that improve the lives of displaced communities.
- Collaboration: Fostering a cooperative environment where experts, stakeholders, and communities work together to achieve common goals and shared success.
- Integrity: Ensuring all research and actions are conducted with transparency, honesty, and ethical accountability.
What We Do
The Forced Migration & Displacement Research Hub is committed to conducting high-quality, interdisciplinary research that addresses pressing issues related to forced migration and displacement.
The Hub’s key research areas include:
- International Refugee Law and Policy: Analysing and developing legal frameworks to strengthen the protection of displaced persons and ensure adherence to international standards.
- Legislative and Policy Development: Examining regional and national legislative responses to forced migration and advocating for reforms that support the rights and welfare of displaced communities.
- Localisation of Knowledge: With a Pan-African focus, the Hub will promote locally driven research and solutions that reflect regional contexts and contribute to the body of knowledge on forced migration. This is especially important in a region with a burgeoning displaced persons framework.
The Hub provides specialized training programs designed to build the expertise of legal practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders involved in forced migration and refugee law. These include workshops, seminars, and executive education programs tailored to enhance the skills and knowledge necessary for effective advocacy and policy implementation.
The Hub actively engages with policymakers, government agencies, international organisations, and civil society to provide evidence-based policy recommendations. By organising policy dialogues, roundtables, and workshops, the Hub fosters collaboration and the exchange of best practices to drive improvements in handling forced migration and displacement issues.
The Hub is dedicated to raising public awareness and understanding of forced migration issues. While those in the field are aware of displaced persons, the wider public appears more apathetic to their plight. Through public lectures, community engagement, media initiatives, and outreach activities, the Hub disseminates its research findings and informs public discourse. It also uses publications, media appearances, and interactive public forums to share insights and advocate for policy change.
Strategic Pillars & Focus Areas
The Hub’s primary objective is to produce policy-oriented research and in-depth legal analysis that address the multifaceted issues of forced migration and displacement. The Hub emphasises research that blends legal, social, and policy perspectives to understand the challenges facing displaced populations comprehensively. Equally important, flowing from the preceding, is producing palatable material for the public. That said, the following would be areas of interest.
- International Refugee Law: Developing insights and proposals for strengthening legal frameworks to protect the rights of displaced persons.
- Policy and Legislative Analysis: Critically assessing existing regional and national policies to propose reforms that align with international standards.
- Local and Regional Knowledge Production: Promoting research grounded in local contexts and contributing to a robust, globally relevant discourse.
Therefore, the following output goals would be achieved:
- Enhancing the publication of impactful research findings.
- Supporting interdisciplinary projects that contribute to the research ecosystem.
- Establishing a reputation as a high-performing research entity that elevates the Hub’s visibility and influence.
The Hub is committed to equipping legal professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders with the knowledge and tools necessary for effective engagement with forced migration issues. Through tailored training programs and educational workshops, the Hub seeks to foster expertise that translates into practice and policy improvements to achieve the following objectives:
- Designing evidence-based training programs that enhance the competency of those involved in refugee law and policy.
- Collaborating with academic and professional institutions to deliver interdisciplinary training that spans relevant fields such as human rights, international law, and policy development.
- Promoting experiential learning through internships, research assistantships, and policy development exercises.
If the preceding is achieved, the following advantageous benefits may arise:
- Expansion of training programs to reach broader audiences, including government officials and civil society.
- Strengthening partnerships with local and international institutions for collaborative training initiatives.
The Hub’s critical focus is to bridge the gap between research and policy by actively engaging with stakeholders to influence legislative and policy decisions. The Hub fosters dialogue and partnerships and ensures that research findings translate into practical policy recommendations.
The following strategies shall be employed to achieve holistic success in engaging advocacy and engagement:
- Organising policy dialogues, workshops, and roundtables to facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster partnerships.
- Providing evidence-based policy briefs and consultations to government agencies, NGOs, and international bodies.
- Collaborating with civil society organisations to advocate for improved legislation and policy frameworks.
The Hub prioritises forming and nurturing partnerships within and beyond the Strathmore sphere to
amplify its impact and achieve its mission.
- Internal Collaborations: Partnering with other university centres, such as SCLPG, SDRC, and other departments, to leverage resources and interdisciplinary expertise. Involving faculty and students in ongoing research projects and policy advocacy efforts.
- External Collaborations: Establishing strategic alliances with global academic institutions for collaborative
research and knowledge exchange. Partnering with government ministries, international organisations, NGOs, and private sector stakeholders to conduct joint research and offer capacity-building programs.
A strong emphasis on public outreach allows the Hub to disseminate knowledge and engage broader audiences. Through public lectures, media engagements, and community outreach programs, the Hub seeks to increase public understanding of forced migration’s challenges and enhance engagement and collaboration with the public to build a more informed and supportive community for displaced persons.
Team
The Director provides strategic leadership and oversees the hub’s overall management and administration. This position involves supervising research initiatives, programs, and partnerships, ensuring alignment with the Hub’s mission and objectives, and representing the Hub in academic and public forums.
Functions
- Lead the strategic planning and execution of the Hub’s vision.
- Oversee the development and implementation of research and policy initiatives.
- Cultivate partnerships and collaborations with academic, governmental, and civil society stakeholders.
- Secure funding and manage resource allocation for the Hub’s activities.
- Act as the primary spokesperson and advocate for the Hub’s mission.
The Hub Manager is responsible for the Hub’s day-to-day operational management and ensures administrative and logistical efficiency.
Functions:
- Manage daily administrative operations and maintain smooth functionality.
- Oversee budgeting, financial reporting, and allocation of resources.
- Coordinate activities across various units within the Hub.
- Implement and monitor operational procedures and policies.
- Assist the Director in organising events, workshops, and training sessions.
Functions
Support high-quality, policy-relevant research within the Hub’s core areas of forced migration and displacement.
Conduct literature reviews, legal and policy mapping, and background research to inform reports, policy briefs, and academic outputs.
Support data collection, documentation, and basic analysis under the supervision of senior researchers.
Assist in drafting research outputs, concept notes, proposals, and donor-facing deliverables.
Coordinate engagement with partners, including scheduling meetings, preparing briefs, and tracking action points.
Support the development and management of partnerships with universities, civil society organisations, government agencies, and development partners.
Contribute to proposal development and partner outreach for new research and funding opportunities.
Support the organisation of stakeholder consultations, validation workshops, and dissemination events.
Assist with documentation, knowledge management, and communication of the Hub’s work in coordination with Strathmore Law School teams.
The Communications and Policy Awareness Officer develops and implements strategic communications and policy outreach to raise the programme’s profile, translate evidence into accessible messages, and influence policy and practice. This role manages media and digital engagement, supports stakeholder mobilisation, and builds the communications capacity of staff and partners.
Functions
- Develop and implement a communications and policy awareness strategy aligned with programme objectives.
- Produce high‑quality content, including policy briefs, op‑eds, social media, newsletters, and multimedia assets.
- Translate research and monitoring findings into clear, audience‑appropriate messages and advocacy materials.
- Map and engage policy stakeholders, including government, parliamentarians, regulators, and sector coalitions.
- Manage media relations: draft press releases, prepare spokespeople briefings, and coordinate interviews and press events.
- Oversee digital presence and analytics: maintain website content, social channels, and track engagement metrics.
- Design and deliver capacity building for staff and partners on messaging, media engagement, and policy brief development.
- Plan and support policy dialogues, roundtables, and public events, ensuring follow‑up and documented outcomes.
- Monitor and report on communications and policy engagement results for internal learning and donor reporting.
The Programme Assistant provides administrative, logistical, and operational support to ensure efficient programme delivery, compliance with organisational procedures, and smooth coordination with partners and vendors.
Functions
- Provide day‑to‑day administrative support: manage calendars, travel arrangements, and correspondence for the programme team.
- Coordinate meetings and events: prepare agendas, participant lists, materials, and logistical arrangements.
- Support financial administration: process petty cash, expense claims, and assist with budget tracking and procurement in line with policies.
- Maintain programme records and databases: update activity trackers, participant registers, and filing systems.
- Assist with monitoring and reporting by compiling routine reports, entering data, and supporting basic data collection tasks.
- Serve as the first point of contact for partners and vendors; follow up on deliverables and contracts.
- Draft routine correspondence, prepare meeting minutes, and maintain action trackers.
- Support asset management and procurement logistics, including vendor communication and receipt tracking.
- Provide ad hoc support for field visits and programme implementation as required.
The Communications and Policy Awareness Officer develops and implements strategic communications and policy outreach to raise the programme’s profile, translate evidence into accessible messages, and influence policy and practice. This role manages media and digital engagement, supports stakeholder mobilisation, and builds the communications capacity of staff and partners.
Functions
- Develop and implement a communications and policy awareness strategy aligned with programme objectives.
- Produce high‑quality content, including policy briefs, op‑eds, social media, newsletters, and multimedia assets.
- Translate research and monitoring findings into clear, audience‑appropriate messages and advocacy materials.
- Map and engage policy stakeholders, including government, parliamentarians, regulators, and sector coalitions.
- Manage media relations: draft press releases, prepare spokespeople briefings, and coordinate interviews and press events.
- Oversee digital presence and analytics: maintain website content, social channels, and track engagement metrics.
- Design and deliver capacity building for staff and partners on messaging, media engagement, and policy brief development.
- Plan and support policy dialogues, roundtables, and public events, ensuring follow‑up and documented outcomes.
- Monitor and report on communications and policy engagement results for internal learning and donor reporting.
The Junior Research Fellow supports the Hub’s research agenda by conducting literature reviews, collecting and analysing data, drafting research outputs, and contributing to evidence synthesis and dissemination. This role assists senior researchers in project implementation, ensures methodological rigour, and helps translate findings into policy‑relevant recommendations.
Functions
- Conduct literature reviews, policy scans, and background research to inform project design and analysis.
- Support research design and methodology by developing data collection tools, sampling plans, and ethical protocols.
- Collect primary data through interviews, surveys, focus groups, and field visits; manage and clean datasets.
- Perform quantitative and qualitative data analysis and prepare clear summaries of findings.
- Draft research outputs: technical notes, working papers, policy briefs, and sections of reports.
- Maintain research databases, codebooks, and documentation to ensure reproducibility and data integrity.
- Assist with stakeholder engagement by preparing briefing materials, supporting workshops, and documenting consultations.
- Contribute to dissemination activities by preparing presentations, visualisations, and input for communications and policy outreach.
- Ensure compliance with ethical standards and donor requirements in all research activities.
- Provide logistical and administrative support for research activities, including scheduling, travel coordination, and procurement of research materials.
The Team
- Favour Nabasitu
- Anzal Yarrow
- Anisa Mohamed
- Doris Kidero
- Ashley Muturi
- Philip Mboya
- Peter Muturi
Role
The Intern supports the Hub’s research, communications, and programme teams by providing administrative assistance, contributing to research tasks, and gaining practical experience in project implementation and stakeholder engagement. This position is designed for early‑career candidates or students seeking hands‑on exposure to policy research, communications, and programme operations.
Functions
- Assist with literature reviews, background research, and basic data collection to support ongoing projects.
- Support drafting and formatting of research notes, summaries, presentations, and communications materials.
- Provide administrative and logistical support for meetings, workshops, and field visits, including scheduling, participant coordination, and note-taking.
- Maintain and update project files, databases, and document repositories to ensure accurate record keeping.
- Help prepare social media posts, newsletter content, and simple visualisations for dissemination activities.
- Conduct routine data entry and basic data cleaning under supervision; support simple quantitative or qualitative analysis tasks.
- Observe and assist in stakeholder engagement activities, taking minutes and preparing follow‑up action lists.
- Participate in team learning sessions and training; apply feedback to improve research and communication skills.
- Adhere to ethical guidelines, confidentiality requirements, and organisational policies in all tasks.
- Complete assigned tasks on time and report progress to the supervising staff member.
Have Questions or Need Assistance?
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