The civil society and humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons in Africa
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Date
2005-10Author
Magiti, Esther M
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This dissertation is premised on and informed by primary and secondary data based on the civil
society and humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa, focusing on
a case study of the Catholic Church in Kenya (1992-2000).
The study undertakes an overview of internal displacement in Africa and points out the
contributing factors to internal displacement. ,Attention has been given to internal displacement ..
in Kenya in the period 1992-2000, focusing on Rift Valley, Nyanza, Western and Coast
provinces,
At another level the study looks into the role of the civil society in provision of humanitarian
assistance to IDPs in Africa. Areas of strength, challenges and constraints encountered by the
civil society are identified. Conditions for effective functioning of the civil society are also
mentioned. The study finds that the civil society, that is found to be functional on social,
economic and political processes, should fill the gap left by the State in terms of humanitarian
assistance to IDPs. The study also focuses on the Catholic Church in provision of humanitarian assistance to IDPs in
Kenya in 1992-2000. It highlights the Catholic Church's profile, constraints, Catholic Church-
State cooperation, barriers to this cooperation and conditions for enhancing this cooperation. It
finds that the Catholic Church should use its' net.w. ork competently and lobby the provincial
administrators, the local authority leaders. the legislators and policy makers to be sensitive
towards the initiatives the Catholic Church endeavours to provide humanitarian assistance to
IDPs.
Finally, the study provides a synthesis of the research findings and makes recommendations for
the way forward. It concludes that the Catholic Church and the State should cooperate in
provision of humanitarian assistance to IDPs, by identifying each other as complements and seek
consultation towards alleviating the suffering of IDPs. This research forms fundamental
reference for policy makers and actors in humanitarian assistance to IDPs.
Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Institute of Diplomacy & International Studies (IDIS)
Subject
Civil Society OrganizationsHumanitarian assistance
Internally displaced persons (IDPs)
Catholic Church
Kenya