Refugees in Kenya: A life of "constant harassment"

Mariam fled Congo around two years ago. She says life in Nairobi is a massive struggle, but at least there’s peace, unlike in Coongo.

Photo: The IRC/CineTrek/John Gyovai

“Refugees spoke of constant harassment by police – from officers demanding financial bribes to physical beatings and intimidation. Some refugee communities have even come together and organized monthly financial collections, which they pay to police to prevent such harassment.”

- Kellie Leeson, the IRC’s Kenya country director, in a statement that accompanied Thursday's release of a new report by the IRC, Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) and Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) that says that tens of thousands of urban refugees in Kenya face regular harassment, discrimination and poverty.