Policy for Improving Human Well-being and Strengthening Capabilities of Displaced and Mobile Populations in Egypt
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Apr 12, 2026
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Angelica J. Sitoe
Helio Dos Santos S. Guiamba
Ayoola O. Bosede
Hager M. Saeed
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5000-215X
Helio Dos Santos S. Guiamba
Ayoola O. Bosede
Hager M. Saeed
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5000-215X
Abstract
Objectives: Egypt has recently faced a significant migration surge due to conflicts in neighboring areas, highlighting the complex dynamics of migration. Gaps persist in addressing the needs of displaced populations, which are exacerbated by socioeconomic and environmental risks, thereby intensifying long-term vulnerabilities. This study focuses on enhancing the well-being of displaced and mobile populations in Egypt, providing evidence-based recommendations to improve their welfare and capabilities.
Methodology: This study employed qualitative document analysis to examine the existing literature and policy documents relevant to displaced populations in Egypt. A systematic approach was adopted to conduct a comprehensive assessment of current policies, challenges, and best practices.
Findings: The findings indicate that displaced populations in Egypt mainly reside in urban areas, including Greater Cairo and Alexandria. Displaced populations, including refugees and migrants, possess untapped labour that can bolster local economies. The proposed policy framework tackles the critical challenges faced by displaced populations in Egypt, including access to healthcare, economic inclusion, and social cohesion. The policy advocates inclusive collaboration with the private sector to ensure mutual benefits for both displaced populations and host communities, all while safeguarding the rights and well-being of displaced populations and supporting Egypt’s overall stability.
Originality: Key recommendations include deploying mobile health clinics, implementing community-driven integration initiatives, expanding vocational training programs, and prioritizing infrastructure investments. These are designed to be inclusive, sustainable, and adaptable to the needs of displaced populations. Success depends on decisive, collaborative action from governments, NGOs, the private sector, and international organizations, supported by partnerships and monitoring.
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Keywords
RefugeesWell-beingPoliciesPracticesMental healthHealthcare system
References
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Abouzied, R. (2023). Urban Resettlement Policies in Cairo: A Case Study of Manshaiat Nasser and Asmarat City. https://fount.aucegypt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3000&context=etds
Andrade, M., Sato, L., & Hammad, M. (2021). Improving social protection for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt: An overview of international practices. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/234898/1/RR57-Improving-social-protection-for-migrants-refugees.pdf
Awan, F., & Nunhuck, S. (2020). Governing Blocks: Building Interagency Consensus to Coordinate Humanitarian Aid. Journal of Science Policy & Governance, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.38126/jspg160201
Badwi, E. (2023). Integration and Participation of Refugees and Migrants: Building Inclusive Societies. https://ehab-badwi.medium.com/integration-and-participation-of-refugees-and-migrants-building-inclusive-societies-9b806ef772c0
Bahar, D., Brough, R., & Peri, G. (2024). Forced Migration and Refugees: Policies for Successful Economic and Social Integration. https://doi.org/10.3386/w32266
Building Blocks (2022). https://www.wfp.org/building-blocks
Chakravarty, S., Lundberg, M., Nikolov, P., & Zenker, J. (2018). Vocational training programs and youth labor market outcomes: Evidence from Nepal. Journal of Development Economics, 136, 71. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2018.09.002
Climate Displacement and Resilience Database. (2025). https://belonging.berkeley.edu/climatedisplacement/case-studies/egypt
Country- Egypt. (2025). https://data.unhcr.org/ar/country/egy
Dany Bahar, Rebecca J. Brough. (2024). Identifying Policies that Help Refugees and Host Communities Thrive. https://www.cgdev.org/blog/identifying-policies-help-refugees-and-host-communities-thrive
Dator, W. L., Abunab, H. Y., & Ayen, N. D. (2018). Health challenges and access to health care among Syrian refugees in Jordan: a review. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 24(7), 680. World Health Organization. https://doi.org/10.26719/2018.24.7.680
Did You Know that Syrian Refugees Have Contributed Over $800 Million to the Egyptian Economy? (2017). https://thestartupscene.me/MenaEcosystems/Syrian-Refugees-Contributed-800-Million-Egyptian-Economy
DPI is a game changer for all. (2024). https://x.com/UNDPEgypt/status/1841047044443480071
Easton‐Calabria, E., & Hakiza, R. (2020). In the interest of saving: Refugee‐led microfinance in Kampala, Uganda. Development Policy Review, 39(1), 22. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12500
Expanding Opportunities for the Egyptian Private Sector in the Post-COVID Era. (2022). https://www.undp.org/egypt/publications/expanding-opportunities-egyptian-private-sector-post-covid-era
Farahat, M. (2021). Promoting Digital Inclusion for Refugees Amid the Covid-19 Crisis in Egypt. https://cipesa.org/2021/04/promoting-digital-inclusion-for-refugees-amid-the-covid-19-crisis-in-egypt/
Fares, H., & Puig‐Junoy, J. (2021). Inequity and benefit incidence analysis in healthcare use among Syrian refugees in Egypt. Conflict and Health, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-021-00416-y
Finland: New campaign amplifies refugee voices (2022). https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-08/EMN_Factsheets2022_FI_0.pdf
Galal, A., Elariane, S. A., & Abd-Elsattar, M. (2020). The effect of Syrians’ commercial activities on the livability of urban neighborhood centers: case study 6th of October City, Egypt. HBRC Journal, 16(1), 179. https://doi.org/10.1080/16874048.2020.1794214
Global Report | UNHCR. (2024). UNHCR. https://www.unhcr.org/publications/global-report-2024
Global report on internal displacement (2019). [Data set]. In Human Rights Documents online. https://www.internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2019/
Global Report on Internal Displacement. (2024). https://api.internal-displacement.org/sites/default/files/publications/documents/IDMC-GRID-2024-Global-Report-on-Internal-Displacement.pdf
Health access and utilization survey among refugees in Egypt. UNHCR, 2022. https://www.unhcr.org/eg/sites/eg/files/legacy-pdf/UNHCR-HAUS-Report-2022.pdf
Hrishikesh Palande, Dr. Shilpa Parkhi (2021). Effectiveness of Blockchain in Overcoming Barriers in Humanitarian Supply Chain. Psychology and Education Journal, 58(1), 2228.
Humanitarian programme of UNFPA. (2016). https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/16-150_UNFPA_Humanitarian_2016_Overview_Final_Sheet_Final_Web_version.pdf#:~:text=UNFPA's,gender%2Dbased%20violence%20and%20providing%20a
Innovative solutions to improve livelihoods in host communities of Syrian refugees in Egypt. (2021). https://www.undp.org/egypt/stories/innovative-solutions-improve-livelihoods-host-communities-syrian-refugees-egypt
“It’s a Match!” Egyptian Clickfunding Campaign Goes Viral. (2016). https://www.iom.int/news/its-match-egyptian-clickfunding-campaign-goes-viral
Jasmin Samy(2024). Uniting Refugees and Host Communities in Egypt to Improve the Safety of Women and Girls. https://www.pathfinder.org/impact-stories/uniting-refugees-and-host-communities-in-egypt-to-improve-the-safety-of-women-and-girls/
Kelsey P. Norman (2021). Urbanization, informal governance and refugee integration in Egypt. Globalizations, 21(2), 287. https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2021.1907510
Lukovszki, T., Rost, M., & Schmid, S. (2016). It’s a Match! ACM SIGCOMM. Computer Communication Review, 46(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1145/2875951.2875956
Mawson, S., & Kasem, L. (2019). Exploring the entrepreneurial intentions of Syrian refugees in the UK. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 25(5), 1128. Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijebr-02-2018-0103
McIsaac, J., Brulle, J., Burg, J., Tarnacki, G., Sullivan, C., & Wassel, R. (2019). Blockchain Technology for Disaster and Refugee Relief Operations. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 34. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x1900222x
Mesa, J. C. de. (2021). Digital Social Work: Towards Digital Disruption in Social Work. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 48(3). https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.4558
Migration Streams by Governorates and Urban–Rural Categories, Egypt 1996. The title is “Table 4”. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08d1640f0b64974001630/WP-C3.pdf
Nasri, M. (2020). Media, Community Building, and Refugee Resettlement Policies: The Impact of Canada’s Welcoming Culture and Media Coverage on the Settlement Outcomes of Resettled Syrian Refugees. Bibliotekarz Podlaski Ogólnopolskie Naukowe Pismo Bibliotekoznawcze i Bibliologiczne, 47(2), 139. https://doi.org/10.36770/bp.474
Organization, W. H. (2023). Strategy to promote the health and well-being of refugees, migrants, internally displaced persons and other displaced groups in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Raimondi, F. (2015). Pathways to Self-Reliance for Urban Refugees in Egypt. https://www.cgap.org/comment/1595
Reinsberg, B. (2018). Blockchain technology and the governance of foreign aid. Journal of Institutional Economics, 15(3), 413. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1744137418000462
Sarant, L. (2017). Egypt: Space to grow. Nature, 544(7651). Nature Portfolio. https://doi.org/10.1038/544s14a
Segal, U. A., & Davenport, F. (2022). Humanitarian Reactions to Conflict and the Resettlement of Refugees. Glocalism Journal of Culture Politics and Innovation, 2. Globus et Locus. https://doi.org/10.12893/gjcpi.2022.2.1
The Center for Migration and Refugee Studies at the American University in Cairo. (2025). https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-center-for-migration-and-refugee-studies-at-the-american-university-in-cairo
The Centre for Migration and Refugee Studies (2024). https://gapp.aucegypt.edu/academics/centers/cmrs
Ullah, S., & Malik, Z. K. (2020). Socio-Economic and Political Impacts of Vocational Trainings on Tribal Community of Pakistan. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 6(4), 1525. https://doi.org/10.26710/jbsee.v6i4.1498
Wir zusammen - Die Integrations-Initiative der deutschen Wirtschaft. (2019). Die Integrations-Initiative der deutschen Wirtschaft. https://www.wir-zusammen.de
World Bank. (2021). FY22 Unlocking Egypt’s Potential for Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth Egypt systematic country diagnostic update.
World Food Program USA. (2021c). How Blockchain Technology Helps Refugees Shop in Conflict Zones. https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/blockchain-tech-helps-refugees-grocery-shop-in-conflict-zones
How to Cite
Sitoe, A. J. ., Guiamba, H. D. S. S., Bosede, A. O. ., & Saeed, H. M. . (2026). Policy for Improving Human Well-being and Strengthening Capabilities of Displaced and Mobile Populations in Egypt. Academic Network for Development Dialogue (ANDD) Paper Series, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.29117/andd.2025.014
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