The research examined three countries (India, Egypt & Yemen) in which livelihoods assessments had been carried out, but where the right to work remains both out of reach for most urban refugees and a difficult topic on which to conduct advocacy, due to socio-economic conditions, the host government's position on integration or other factors. UNHCR has produced operational guidelines on urban livelihoods and is also creating practical guidelines on advocating for the right to work of displaced populations. This paper seeks to highlight challenges and opportunities in this area, and to contribute both to these guidelines and to the larger discussion around enhancing the space for realising urban refugees' right to work.
Elizabeth Umlas, Cash in hand: Urban refugees, the right to work UNHCR's advocacy activities, PDES/2011/05, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), May 2011, https://www.refworld.org/reference/research/unhcr/2011/80581 [accessed 30 April 2026]
