New report analyses refugee resilience and hostility in Cairo

The study, co-authored by Professor Parvati Nair from Queen Mary University of London, alongside researchers from The American University in Cairo, explores the tensions between local efforts to integrate refugee communities and growing anti-immigrant sentiments, shaped by economic hardship and evolving national policies.

With Cairo hosting significant refugee populations from Syria, Sudan, and beyond, the report investigates how legal frameworks, social attitudes, and political narratives shape the lived experiences of displaced communities. It highlights the resilience strategies adopted by refugees while also documenting rising hostility, barriers to legal status, and restricted access to services such as employment, education, and healthcare.

To accompany the report, Professor Parvati Nair has also created a short film that visually captures the realities faced by refugees in Cairo, offering a powerful and human-centred perspective on their experiences.

Professor Parvati Nair said:

"The experiences of Syrian and Sudanese refugees in Cairo reflect the broader challenges of migration today where resilience and adaptation exist alongside hostility and exclusion. This report sheds light on these lived realities and the urgent need for policies that foster dignity, protection, and genuine integration."

The findings underscore a shift in public perception, with refugees increasingly seen as burdens rather than contributors to society. The report also assesses Egypt’s role in migration control, particularly in relation to European Union agreements on border management.

Among the key recommendations are:

• Countering hate speech and misinformation about refugees in media and public discourse.
• Strengthening support for refugee-led organisations and integration initiatives.
• Enhancing cooperation between the Egyptian government, humanitarian organisations, and civil society to improve refugee rights and service provision.

The full report is available on the Global Policy Institute website.