Publications — Samuel Hall

DEMAC: The Role of the Afghan Diaspora in Emergency and Recovery Efforts

October, 2025

Following the devastating 2023 Herat earthquake, this study—conducted by Samuel Hall in partnership with DEMAC (Diaspora Emergency Action and Coordination)—examines how Afghan diaspora networks mobilised swiftly to deliver life-saving assistance and support recovery. It highlights how diaspora-led funding, often channelled through trusted personal networks and informal systems such as Hawala, plays a crucial role in bridging humanitarian gaps where formal actors have limited reach.

The findings affirm the diaspora’s unique position as both financiers and connectors—amplifying the work of local charities and communities in times of crisis. Yet, the study also identifies systemic barriers, from a lack of formal recognition and trust between actors to opaque financial infrastructures and bureaucratic hurdles that slow collaboration. In the study, Samuel Hall also provides strategic recommendations to strengthen future responses.

Read the full report here

Read the Executive Summary here (English, Dari, Pashto)

Samuel HallNovember 3, 2025

UNICEF INNOCENTI: Generating Evidence on Internally Displaced Children, Afghan Child Migrants and Forcibly Displaced Children in Pakistan

SEPTEMBER 2025

Forcibly displaced children and child migrants in Pakistan face serious protection risks, from violence and family separation to child marriage, trafficking, and limited access to services. Despite the presence of 3.6 million Afghans in Pakistan, little research has examined these children’s specific vulnerabilities.

To fill this gap, UNICEF Innocenti, UNICEF Pakistan, and the Pakistan National Commission on the Rights of the Child commissioned Samuel Hall to conduct research for the study Generating Evidence on Internally Displaced Children, Afghan Child Migrants and Forcibly Displaced Children in Pakistan.

The report assesses children’s lives in urban and peri-urban settings, identifies barriers to protection services, explores their aspirations, and reviews existing service provision. It provides evidence-based recommendations for UNICEF, the Government of Pakistan, and partners. An accompanying policy brief calls for inclusive, rights-based responses and equitable access to services to strengthen protection and social cohesion.

Read full report here

Samuel HallSeptember 23, 2025

UNHCR: Climate Impacts return and displacement in Afghanistan

August 2025

Afghanistan is among the countries most exposed to the impacts of climate change, where extreme weather and disasters are now surpassing conflict as the main drivers of displacement. This research brief, produced by Samuel Hall for UNHCR Afghanistan, explores how climate shocks shape the lives of Afghan returnees from Iran and Pakistan, often leading to secondary displacement and heightened vulnerability.

Drawing on lived experiences, the report highlights how water scarcity, fragile housing, and exclusion from community support systems deepen risks—particularly for women and children. It calls for climate-informed durable solutions, investments in adaptation, and inclusive planning to ensure return and reintegration efforts can withstand the realities of a changing climate.

Find full brief here

Samuel HallAugust 31, 2025climate change, Afghanistan, Return and displacement, natural hazards, returnees

NRC Jordan: Developing a Measurement and Learning Framework for Durable Solutions among Refugees Living in Jordan

August 2025

NRC’s Global Strategy for 2022–2025 has prioritised self-reliance and durable solutions for the people NRC works with as one of its global strategic objectives. The NRC Jordan country office, in line with this objective, has made durable solutions for refugees the foundation of its country strategy.

In advancing this agenda, NRC Jordan recognised the need for a measurement and learning framework to assess progress towards self-reliance and durable solutions, as understood and defined by refugees in Jordan. Developed through a participatory and incremental approach, this framework provides a visual model which is pathway-neutral. The model has been accompanied with a toolkit (comprising of an indicator library with 117 indicators, as well as tools and guides for measurement) to measure and monitor progress towards and identify barriers to durable solutions for refugees in Jordan.

Read full report here.

Samuel HallAugust 29, 2025Jordan, learning framework, NRC, Refugees, durable solutions

VNG: WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN MIGRATION CONTEXTS - A call for a localisation agenda in urban migration

August 2025

Migration management cannot happen without local governments (LGs), given their proximity to migrants and their mandate to provide service delivery and safe environments to their constituents. LGs understand local socio-spatial dynamics and are best placed to identify needs and solutions, implement policies and coordinate service delivery. Yet, they are not fully integrated into international organisations’ development and migration responses.

So what would it take to bring LGs to the centre of this agenda?

This position paper is built on a research project that sheds light on the role of local governments in migration contexts, to inform local and international stakeholders of the migration, humanitarian and development sectors.

The research was conducted in Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon and Uganda as well as at global level. The research team reviewed 54 documents written by academics and practitioners, and collected primary data in the form of 35 key informant interviews (KIIs), one focus group discussion (FGD) gathering 15 participants, 4 country-level validation workshops with VNG International’s teams, a stakeholder workshop gathering 17 participants from civil society, academia and the humanitarian sector, and an online survey with 25 responses, providing anecdotal evidence referenced in the research. Together, these tools took stock of existing forms of engagement between LGs and other stakeholders to identify gaps and good practices.

Download report here.

Samuel HallAugust 28, 2025VNG, Local government, Migrants, migration systems, iraq, kenya, Lebanon, Uganda, Research

ADSP: Durable Solutions Analysis in Herat

July 2025

The Asia Displacement Solutions Platform (ADSP) is a joint initiative of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) which works to contribute to the development of comprehensive solutions for displaced populations in Asia. Established in 2018, ADSP focuses on research initiatives to build an evidence base for its members and other humanitarian actors to facilitate joint advocacy and common understanding around durable solutions.

Since 2022, Samuel Hall, a research organisation founded and based in Kabul, has been working with ADSP to build on existing data to create a space for research and advocacy on durable solutions. In August 2024, Samuel Hall and ADSP published the brief Durable Solutions Analysis in Jalalabad/Nangarhar which mapped and analysed durable solutions in Jalalabad.

Developed between February and June 2025, this research brief follows the same methodology used in the Jalalabad brief, while focusing on the specific context of Herat in urban and peri-urban areas, which is home to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, especially from Iran. Understanding city-level data provides ways forward to fill in data gaps in support of durable solutions programming.

The aim of this research brief is to go beyond data mapping on durable solutions to incorporate data sources from ADSP members, Samuel Hall, UNHCR, UN Women, REACH, and UN-Habitat data, within a durable solutions analysis framework developed by the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS) in the East and Horn of Africa.

Download Research Brief here.

Samuel HallJuly 7, 2025herat, Afghanistan, durable solutions, ADSP, DRC, Jalalabad, Nangarhar

UNHCR: COMMUNITY-BASED ASSESSMENT OF REINTEGRATION AND ABSORPTION CAPACITY OF SOUTH SUDAN

May 2025

This community-based assessment examines the integration status of displaced and returned households living in South Sudan, and evaluates the area’s capacity to welcome additional returnees. It is one of four regional briefs in this series, of which the objectives are to evaluate the current degree of integration of displaced persons in the area, assess infrastructure and service quality and capacity to accommodate more people, and inform area-based planning by government actors, UNHCR and partners

The assessment employed a mixed-methods approach:

1. Household surveys

2. Infrastructure assessments

3. Focus groups, case studies & key informant interviews

Analytical approaches employed include the Reintegration Sustainability Survey (RSS), which quantifies integration levels in different dimensions via composite scoring. Infrastructure was evaluated against defined minimum standards to confirm basic functionality and quality benchmarks, while absorption capacity calculations assessed the extent to which existing services could accommodate additional demand.

The project focused on the following regions in South Sudan:

Samuel HallMay 5, 2025South Sudan, Community focused, community mapping, IDPs, UNHCR, returnees, service quality

UNDP: Leading the Way: Women Navigating Climate Change, Mobility, and Resilience in Africa.

April 2025

Climate change is not just an environmental crisis; it is a social crisis, deeply tied to gender and mobility. As droughts, floods, and desertification intensify, women and girls face disproportionate risks, often leading to displacement.

The new research report, Shifting Gender Roles, Building Resilience, produced by UNDP and Samuel Hall, moves beyond broad assumptions to amplify the real experiences of women in Kenya, Nigeria, and Somalia. It explores how gender norms shape women’s ability to adapt, how economic barriers hold them back, and how policies continue to exclude them from decisions that shape their futures.

Through field research and community consultations conducted in 2024, the report highlights how climate change is reshaping gender roles, deepening vulnerabilities, and—most importantly—creating new opportunities for resilience. The study highlights how women are not just enduring the crisis; but are also responding with solutions that demand recognition, funding, and inclusion in climate action.

The research concludes with suggested recommendations and action points, paving the way for further investigation.

Read full report here

FAIR: Returnee Voices Matter: Towards More Inclusive Return Policies

April 2025

Policies are often not adapted to the needs of returnees, resulting in extreme exclusion, stigma and poverty as well as inefficiencies in terms of migration management. Not only are they not inclusive nor adapted, but policies often silence returnees, as shown in our research. Yet, if policies and practices are not improved to address these gaps, people will be pushed to migrate again as a coping mechanism, even when they are willing to reintegrate. Furthermore, the act of not being heard in return policies reduces the attractiveness of voluntary return.

The research conducted in Georgia, Iraq, Nigeria and Türkiye highlights three core arguments:

▪ Different types of narratives impact on the legitimacy of migration and return policies, which are typically disconnected from returnees’ experiences.

▪ The disconnect demonstrates the frequent silencing of returnees which further nurtures their invisibilisation and dehumanisation in dominant discourses.

▪ Alternative discourses can contribute to more inclusive and effective return policies.

The research findings underscore that it is possible to do things differently: Discourses that emerge from countries of origin, which are not centred around European perspectives and agendas, and which are shared by returnees themselves can be the foundation for more inclusive and effective return policies.

Download the Policy brief here.

Samuel HallApril 1, 2025policies, MIGRATION, displacement, IDPs, returnees, Georgia, Iraq, Nigeria, Turkey, Europe

HABITABLE: Habitability and Adaptation to a Changing Climate: Impacts of climate change on agriculture and human mobility in the Northern and Volta Regions, Ghana

March 2025

This background brief examines the impacts of climate change on livelihoods and mobility patterns in two communities within the Northern and Volta Regions, Ghana: Lingbung and Vome. Beginning with an analysis of Ghana’s main rural-urban migration patterns, we synthesise findings from qualitative interviews conducted within these agrarian communities. Emphasis is placed on migration as one of the adaptive strategies adopted locally.

This brief then examines Ghana's policies and legal frameworks acknowledging different dimensions of human mobility related to climate change. It evaluates the extent to which these frameworks offer solutions to the problems experienced by the communities studied, which, in turn, intensify migration patterns. The brief proposes measures to address climate-induced migration in Ghana, with recommendations focusing on the gaps in current normative instruments while enhancing community resilience.

Download Policy Brief here

Samuel HallMarch 20, 2025climate change, Ghana, urban migration, rural migration, livelihoods

HABITABLE: Habitability and Adaptation to a Changing Climate: Impacts of climate change on agriculture and human mobility in the Kayes and Sikasso Regions, Mali

February 2025

This background brief investigates climatic impacts on livelihoods and human mobility patterns in Mali, particularly focusing on two communities in the Kayes Region (Fatao and Gory) and two communities in the Sikasso Region (Dogo and Kignan). After an analysis of the climatic and socio-economic challenges faced in Mali, it presents preliminary findings on migration as one of the locally adopted adaptation strategies, based on qualitative interviews conducted in these agricultural communities. The challenges encountered by these communities share common themes.

This background brief, therefore, explores Mali’s policies and legal frameworks that recognise distinct dimensions of human mobility in the context of climate change. It assesses the extent to which these instruments provide solutions to the issues affecting these communities, which, in turn, exacerbate migration patterns. The brief concludes with a summary of potential measures available to address climate-induced migration in the country, concentrating on the gaps in normative instruments while bolstering community resilience.

Read the full brief here.

Samuel HallFebruary 3, 2025

UNICEF: Endline Evaluation of the Adolescents and Youth Life Skills Programme (Maharati)

January 2025

Jordan has one of the world's youngest populations, but youth unemployment remains a major challenge, hitting 46.1% in 2022. Limited access to education, training, and jobs hampers young people's transition to higher education and the workforce. Refugees and women face even greater hurdles, with half of Syrian youth refugees unable to access secondary education.

To address these challenges, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Jordan Country Office (JCO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth (MoY), with their implementing partner Generations for Peace (GFP) implemented a life skills programme, the Maharati programme, from 2018-2022. This endline evaluation, commissioned by UNICEF JCO and conducted by Samuel Hall, had two main objectives:

From an accountability perspective – to measure the extent to which the planned results were achieved and the overall goal and objectives met.
From a learning perspective – to determine why planned and intended results were attained or not, to draw lessons and propose good practices and recommendations for learning, scale-up and replication.

The evaluation focuses on the Maharati programme’s activities from January 2018 to June 2022, implemented by the MoY in its youth centres across all governorates in Jordan. The findings, conclusions, lessons learned and recommendations aim to inform decision-making and programme improvement for UNICEF and MoY.

Read Full report here.

Samuel HallJanuary 8, 2025UNICEF, JORDAN, youth, unemployment, COVID-19, YOUTH REFUGEES

LMI: Pulling Together: Civil Society Organizations and Refugee Advocacy in Kenya

January 2025

Refugees in Kenya struggle to access basic services, freedoms and protections. Civil society organizations seeking to support refugees need to be persistent and willing to collaborate with a range of stakeholders—often through unconventional approaches. This case study explores how two Nairobi-based organisations, Kituo Cha Sheria and RefugePoint, played a pivotal role in safeguarding the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Through their leadership in advocacy and innovative approaches, the two organisations’ prevented refugee evictions and secured refugees' access to essential health services. With resilience, creativity, and strategic thinking, they successfully navigated a complex political landscape fraught with public attitudes at odds with refugee rights.

The case study also offers insights into the broader role of civil society in strengthening refugee protections in Kenya. Recent developments, such as the Refugee Act of 2021 and the Shirika plan, provide an opportunity to enhance the legal framework for refugee protection in Kenya. Civil society leadership and activism play an important part in strengthening legal protection and ensuring access to essential services for refugees.

RefugePoint used its network of neighbourhood clinics and local government officials to increase refugee enrollment and address gaps in healthcare. By approaching Kenyan health authorities and arguing for closer cooperation they successfully advocated for the inclusion of refugees into the system. NGOs also stepped in when Kenyan authorities attempted to close the Dadaab camps and expel Somali refugees. A coalition of NGOs led by Kituo Cha Sheria (KITUO) and RefugePoint successfully petitioned the government to halt the measure. Strategic partnerships, such as relationships with UN agencies and other NGOs, knowledge of official channels, and persistence against bureaucratic and political obstacles, underpinned by a desire for results rather than recognition, were essential to their success.

Read full Case Study here.

Samuel HallJanuary 1, 2025Refugee, refugee advocacy, Kenya, civil society, RefugePoint, Refugee Act 2021, Refugee Act, Dadaab, Somali

HABITABLE: Habitability and Adaptation to a Changing Climate: Impacts of climate change on agriculture and human mobility in communities in Makueni County, Kenya

January 2025

This background brief scrutinises the repercussions of climate change on livelihoods and human mobility in three communities in Makueni County, Kenya: Kathyaka, Kikoko, and Ngulu. Following an overview of Kenya's climatic and socioeconomic challenges, we summarise insights from qualitative interviews from these three agricultural communities, focusing on the role of migration among other local coping mechanisms. The challenges faced by these communities exhibit common themes. This brief then examines Kenya’s policies and legal frameworks acknowledging different dimensions of human mobility related to climate change.

It evaluates the extent to which these frameworks offer solutions to the problems experienced in these communities, which, in turn, intensify migration patterns. We conclude with Photo: Alexander Bee; Art and Graphic Design: Mohammed Hadj. Concept: Florence Kim. ©UN Network on Migration (2022). 2 recommendations to address the climate change human mobility nexus in Kenya, in particular by tackling shortcomings in existing policies and legal frameworks and by bolstering community resilience and adaptation strategies.

Read full brief here

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