South Africa Refugee Led Network

At the same time, many traditional humanitarian organisations have reduced operations, closed offices, or withdrawn from frontline community engagement, leaving refugees and migrants with little direct support during moments of crisis. Today, refugee-led organisations and grassroots community leaders remain on the frontlines — responding to emergencies, mediating tensions, assisting victims of violence, providing legal referrals, and supporting families affected by xenophobic attacks, often without funding or institutional support.

We urgently call on donors, humanitarian actors, civil society partners, and policymakers to support refugee-led organisations and local community leaders who continue to stand beside affected communities during these difficult times. Sustainable protection, social cohesion, and peacebuilding can only succeed when those closest to the crisis a trusted, resourced, and included in the response