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{
    "id": 1581749,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1581749/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 398,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sigor, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Lochakapong",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "building pillar of the Shirika Plan places deliberate emphasis on community-based protection mechanisms, security screening, regional collaboration and security and empowering community-based security approaches, alongside strengthening security agencies and structures to ensure peaceful co-existence between refugees and the host communities. The fourth question is clarification on terms used as integration of refugees and host communities and details on support mechanisms available to help refugees to become self- reliant, including how job opportunities are being structured to ensure equitable competition between host community members and refugees. Local integration is one of the three durable solutions outlined in the 1951 Convention relating to status of refugees in which Kenya is a signatory to. The other two are voluntary repatriation and resettlement to third countries. The Refugee Act 2021 defines local integration as the gradual process through which refugees are incorporated into the society through a process that ensures refugees attain broader rights, have improved standards of living and positively contribute to the social life of the host community. Under the Shirika Plan, integration refers to social-economic inclusion, that is, inclusion into service delivery systems. It should be clear that refugees will not enjoy civic and political rights, including the right to vote, neither will they be granted Kenyan citizenship under the Plan. Refugees who want to be Kenyan citizens will have to meet the requirements established in the Kenyan Citizenship and Immigration Act of 2011. The State Department will continue to conduct public awareness, sensitisation and information sharing to ensure that both refugees and host communities understand the terminologies and components of the Plan. On jobs and livelihoods, the Shirika Plan seeks to develop human capital and skills and create an enabling environment for self-reliance and access to livelihood opportunities for both host communities and refugees. Under the Shirika Plan, all socio-economic opportunities will be shared equally between host communities and refugees. The Shirika Plan will leverage on public-private partnerships to provide economic opportunities, including access to finance, market development and strengthening rural and urban businesses. Currently, a number of initiatives are in place, such as the International Finance Corporation and the Equity Bank Partnership of Ksh2 billion risk-sharing facility that aims to enhance financial inclusion in such regions, including host communities and refugees. The fifth question is on the measures that have been put in place to transition refugees under the Shirika Plan, including the specific roles and contributions of key stakeholders, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). To achieve the objective of the Plan, the implementation is to be done in phases. The Plan has laid out the process of transitioning to integrated settlements in which both refugees and members of host communities would benefit from inclusion in national services and from programmes aimed at facilitating self-reliance, community-led economic development and peaceful co-existence. The Shirika Plan will ensure that host communities are at the centre of targeted programmes and will address the disparities that have existed previously by ensuring equitable access to services. The Shirika Plan adopts a bottom-up approach where the needs of the communities will be captured in sector work plans. The implementation shall be in three phases: 1. Transition phase from 2025 to 2028. 2. Stabilisation phase from 2029 to 2032. 3. Resilience phase from 2033 to 2036. In order to ensure a successful transition for refugees, a number of issues will need to be addressed. Key among them is harmonising legal and policy frameworks, development of a Government-led refugee management system, that is database, enhancing access to documentation and recognition of refugee identity cards (IDs) by service providers, expanding infrastructure to cater for both host communities and refugees’ livelihood programmes. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}