INFLUENCE OF ADVOCACY EFFORTS BY HUMANITARIAN ACTORS ON THE PROTECTION OF REFUGEE RIGHTS IN DADAAB REFUGEE CAMPS

Despite over three decades of humanitarian presence in Dadaab refugee camps, significant gaps persist in refugee rights protection, with refugees facing restricted movement, limited education access, and inadequate livelihood opportunities, raising questions about the effectiveness of advocacy strategies employed by humanitarian organizations. This study aimed to examine how advocacy efforts by humanitarian actors influence the protection of refugee rights in Dadaab refugee camps. The research objectives investigated the influence of policy and legal advocacy, rights awareness and education, and resource mobilization on refugee rights protection. The study was grounded in Human Rights-Based Approach theory, which emphasizes refugees as rights-holders rather than passive beneficiaries, and Advocacy Coalition Framework theory, which explains how organized groups influence policy outcomes through coordinated efforts. A mixed-methods approach was employed, targeting 273 stakeholders including UN personnel, NGO staff, government officials, and refugees. Data was collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, achieving a 90.7% response rate. Quantitative analysis used descriptive statistics and multiple regression, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed that advocacy efforts explain 71.7% of variance in refugee rights protection outcomes (R² = 0.717). Policy and legal advocacy had the strongest influence (β = 0.356, p < 0.001), followed by rights awareness and education (β = 0.334, p < 0.001), and resource mobilization (β = 0.301, p < 0.001). Interview themes highlighted the effectiveness of legal capacity building, coalition approaches, and peer education models in empowering refugees and influencing policy reforms. The study concludes that coordinated advocacy efforts significantly improve refugee rights protection, with legal empowerment and coalition building proving most effective. Recommendations include strengthening advocacy coalitions, expanding legal capacity building programs, diversifying funding sources, and scaling peer-to-peer education models to enhance protection outcomes for refugees in protracted displacement situations. Keywords: Advocacy, Humanitarian, Refugee Rights, Dadaab Refugee Camps, Legal Advocacy Rights Awareness, Education, Resource Mobilization