Together with the Ethiopian government, researchers have set up a large-scale randomised controlled trial among four main refugee hosting areas in Ethiopia, with over 200,000 occupants, to evaluate the impact of the Refugee and Host Integration Through the Safety Net (RHISN) programme.
RHISN, implemented by the Government of Ethiopia, is an attempt to integrate camp-based refugees into the national social safety net. RHISN aims to improve economic livelihoods and social cohesion between refugees and host communities by creating mixed work teams and offering shared economic opportunities. Refugees and hosts alike will participate in paid public work activities for up to two years providing them with a stable source of income. In addition, beneficiaries will receive graduation-style livelihood support consisting of training, and a business grant in the second year. They can also obtain employment authorisations to legally participate in Ethiopia's labour market.
This project represents a unique opportunity to study the consequences of integrating refugees into this type of programme, not only the direct impact on recipients, but also impacts on non-recipients, on local economic activity, on social cohesion and the social channels that underlie them.
