Rightful voices: refugee participation in humanitarian programming: the example of CARE International in the Azraq Camp

Refugee camps worldwide host approximately 6.6 million refugees. While they are envisioned as temporary solutions, many have become semi-permanent cities. Camp residents largely lack basic autonomy. Beyond respecting their rights and dignity, meaningful refugee participation enhances the effectiveness, legitimacy, and sustainability of humanitarian assistance. This study identifies the drivers and constraints of refugee participation in humanitarian programming and examines CARE’s mechanisms in the Azraq camp to facilitate such participation. It combines a literature review with qualitative field research, including observations and interviews. While there are few compelling incentives for organizations to implement participation, numerous constraints, including legal restrictions and structural issues in the sector, hinder refugees' influence on humanitarian activities. CARE has established several mechanisms to involve residents, including community representation, consultations, project evaluations, a camp-wide accountability mechanism, and the implementation of most activities by residents working as volunteers. While these mechanisms enable refugee participation, they have diverse limitations.