Urban refugees in Delhi: identity, entitlements and well-being

Urban refugees in Delhi face myriad problems that affect their ability to live meaningful lives in the city: no legal frameworks to guarantee their protection; difficulty attaining sustainable livelihoods; discrimination; and poverty. Many Sikh and Christian Afghan refugees have been in the country for decades, yet still fail to achieve citizenship through naturalisation. Rohingya refugees are among the city’s poorest and face faith-based discrimination as a Muslim community. Both groups struggle to achieve self-reliance and realise their aspirations. This study explores the historical, political, and social factors that have contributed to such a state of insecurity, and poses an alternative way of supporting refugee self-reliance, using the Capability Approach.