TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceptions of the Impact of Refugees on Host Communities
T2 - The Case of Liberian Refugees in Ghana
AU - Codjoe, Samuel Nii Ardey
AU - Quartey, Peter
AU - Tagoe, Cynthia Addoquaye
AU - Reed, Holly E.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - This paper analyses the effects of the presence of Liberian refugees on cost of goods/services and business activities, pressure on resources/facilities, social vices and environmental activities based on perceptions (although attempts have been made to buttress the perceptions with information from focus group discussions) of hosts and refugees. The analysis included gender and type of occupation from within and among the groups. The aim was to ascertain whether the presence of refugees are viewed as having positive, negative or mixed impacts. Data are from 10 focus group discussions and 120 household surveys undertaken in April 2007. Results show that although there are gender and occupational differentials, host communities contend that refugees have increased the costs of goods and services, brought pressure on facilities, increased social vices and deteriorated environmental resources. However, refugees are viewed as a source of income and market, and trade partners, who have brought a lot of infrastructural developments. Thus, one can describe refugee presence as having mixed impacts.
AB - This paper analyses the effects of the presence of Liberian refugees on cost of goods/services and business activities, pressure on resources/facilities, social vices and environmental activities based on perceptions (although attempts have been made to buttress the perceptions with information from focus group discussions) of hosts and refugees. The analysis included gender and type of occupation from within and among the groups. The aim was to ascertain whether the presence of refugees are viewed as having positive, negative or mixed impacts. Data are from 10 focus group discussions and 120 household surveys undertaken in April 2007. Results show that although there are gender and occupational differentials, host communities contend that refugees have increased the costs of goods and services, brought pressure on facilities, increased social vices and deteriorated environmental resources. However, refugees are viewed as a source of income and market, and trade partners, who have brought a lot of infrastructural developments. Thus, one can describe refugee presence as having mixed impacts.
KW - Environmental activities
KW - Gender
KW - Goods and services
KW - Impact
KW - Liberian refugees
KW - Perceptions
KW - Social vices
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879840172&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12134-012-0249-1
DO - 10.1007/s12134-012-0249-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84879840172
SN - 1488-3473
VL - 14
SP - 439
EP - 456
JO - Journal of International Migration and Integration
JF - Journal of International Migration and Integration
IS - 3
ER -