Developing an inclusive research network to co-design livelihood recovery measures for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Management
Abstract
In Nigeria, conflict triggers are multi-faceted, often overlap, and foster within a weakened web of fragile cultures and institutions. These conflicts take the form of pastoralists' vs farmers' clashes; ethnopolitical superiority and land disputes between tribes, e.g., the Jukuns and the Tivs; struggle for governmental and political representation between people of Christian and Islamic faiths; and activities of militant Islamist groups. Consequently, there are over 2.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria (IDMC, 2021). The management of IDPs is further challenged by resource availability and the poor understanding of IDPs' livelihood recovery needs.
This project seeks to develop a research network to work collaboratively and answer an overarching question: how can an innovative combination of livelihood studies, storytelling using participatory drama and risk management contribute to the inclusive development of culturally informed livelihood recovery measures for IDPs in Nigeria? The network combines an interdisciplinary core team and guest speakers within AHRC remit. The network will explore local cultures and communities through art-based methods to improve understanding of interconnecting conflict triggers and the intersection with livelihoods, and how these are layered and play out across time and in different contexts. The network also seeks to explore the use of participatory drama to provoke community-based discourse on the plight of IDPs, and how the concept of risk management can help mitigate vulnerabilities in the development of culturally-informed government policies on IDPs. The network addresses the cross-cutting themes of (1) conflict, (2) poverty and inequalities, and (3) displacement; and will contribute to the discourse and application of arts-based methods for the attainment of SDG 16 and the UN International Year of Peace and Trust commitments. Furthermore, the UNDP and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) have collaborated with the Nigerian Government to implement a joint protection and recovery strategy for North-East Nigeria. The network is well suited to this context and the choice of study domain, i.e., Taraba State (being a North-East state in Nigeria with one of the largest IDPs) is timely. The commitment of the Taraba State Government (TSG) to this project also promises collaborative and tangible outcomes.
Three activities were, co-developed by the network. For the first activity, monthly meetings between the core team will be organised to facilitate exchange of experiences. This will culminate into a series of 6 knowledge exchange public webinars, discussing triggers of conflict, the impact on livelihoods and the potentials of the performing arts to make visible the plights of IDPs. We will then run a series of workshops with IDPs in Taraba State which will explore the potentials of participatory drama to make visible the stories of IDPs and provoke discourse. The third activity will involve the co-development of a culturally informed IDPs' livelihood recovery policy framework with key stakeholders in a two-day workshop and using a risk-based approach to explore policy approaches with the TSG.
The network will produce evidence-based collaborative partnership for the application of performing arts-based methods in the attainment of developmental goals, including improving visibility to the IDP plights and facilitating the co-design of livelihoods recovery policies. Using the UNHCR and UNDP members of the network, we will also explore how the performing arts-based approach can be used in other contexts in West/Central African countries.
This project seeks to develop a research network to work collaboratively and answer an overarching question: how can an innovative combination of livelihood studies, storytelling using participatory drama and risk management contribute to the inclusive development of culturally informed livelihood recovery measures for IDPs in Nigeria? The network combines an interdisciplinary core team and guest speakers within AHRC remit. The network will explore local cultures and communities through art-based methods to improve understanding of interconnecting conflict triggers and the intersection with livelihoods, and how these are layered and play out across time and in different contexts. The network also seeks to explore the use of participatory drama to provoke community-based discourse on the plight of IDPs, and how the concept of risk management can help mitigate vulnerabilities in the development of culturally-informed government policies on IDPs. The network addresses the cross-cutting themes of (1) conflict, (2) poverty and inequalities, and (3) displacement; and will contribute to the discourse and application of arts-based methods for the attainment of SDG 16 and the UN International Year of Peace and Trust commitments. Furthermore, the UNDP and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) have collaborated with the Nigerian Government to implement a joint protection and recovery strategy for North-East Nigeria. The network is well suited to this context and the choice of study domain, i.e., Taraba State (being a North-East state in Nigeria with one of the largest IDPs) is timely. The commitment of the Taraba State Government (TSG) to this project also promises collaborative and tangible outcomes.
Three activities were, co-developed by the network. For the first activity, monthly meetings between the core team will be organised to facilitate exchange of experiences. This will culminate into a series of 6 knowledge exchange public webinars, discussing triggers of conflict, the impact on livelihoods and the potentials of the performing arts to make visible the plights of IDPs. We will then run a series of workshops with IDPs in Taraba State which will explore the potentials of participatory drama to make visible the stories of IDPs and provoke discourse. The third activity will involve the co-development of a culturally informed IDPs' livelihood recovery policy framework with key stakeholders in a two-day workshop and using a risk-based approach to explore policy approaches with the TSG.
The network will produce evidence-based collaborative partnership for the application of performing arts-based methods in the attainment of developmental goals, including improving visibility to the IDP plights and facilitating the co-design of livelihoods recovery policies. Using the UNHCR and UNDP members of the network, we will also explore how the performing arts-based approach can be used in other contexts in West/Central African countries.
