Population figures
Total country population
14,414,910
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
114,686
Asylum-seekers:
13,199
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
9,500
Host community
12,139
Others of concern to UNHCR
7,157
Country context
Rwanda, a landlocked country in East Africa, has maintained a stable and supportive environment for refugees. The refugee population is comprised of individuals from the DRC, from Burundi, and a small number evacuated from Libya under the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM). Out of the total population, the majority live in camp locations while the remaining live in urban areas.
Rwanda has also experienced an influx of new asylum seekers due to increased instability in the Eastern DRC since November 2022. To accommodate the new asylum seekers, in 2023, UNHCR re-established a transit centre at Nkamira. As of March 2024, over 6,000 asylum seekers were accommodated in Nkamira while the remaining population have been relocated to existing refugee camps in Rwanda.
...Refugees in Rwanda are granted comprehensive rights, including access to civil registration, documentation, and essential services such as healthcare, education, and social protection. Refugees have the right to work, own property, and engage in contracts, and Rwanda's National Financial Inclusion Strategy prioritizes their financial inclusion. Despite this, challenges exist, including limited access to livelihoods, education, and financial opportunities, which can hinder refugees' full integration into Rwandan society.
The Government of Rwanda (GoR) implemented the 2024 Refugee Law, which introduces a system of individual Refugee Status Determination (RSD) for all new arrivals, including asylum seekers from the DRC. Under this law, the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE) is responsible for registering and processing asylum applications, with support from UNHCR to ensure fair and transparent procedures. This new legal framework also allows for the declaration of prima-facie status in situations of mass influx.
Access to shelter and basic services is steadily improving, although some camps face challenges with aging infrastructure, space limitations, and environmental risks, such as landslides. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services are also improving, though the overuse of facilities and infrastructure challenges continue to pose risks to the refugee population.
Rwanda continues to provide avenues for self-reliance, but barriers remain. The GoR’s joint Economic Inclusion Strategy aims to improve refugees’ economic opportunities, with initiatives such as climate-smart agricultural projects to support food security and self-sufficiency. Rwanda’ s policies provide for refugee inclusion into national services such as education, health, socio-economic and financial services (including access to investment & bank accounts) as outlined in Article 21 of the Law n°042/2024 of 19/04/2024 Governing Refugees and Applicants for Refugee Status in Rwanda. This law ensures that refugees enjoy the rights provided for by international refugee instruments.
Refugees have access to civil registration and documentation, including Proof of Registration (PoR), civil status documents, and refugee IDs issued by the Government of Rwanda for those above 16 years old. All new arrivals/asylum seekers in Rwanda, undergo individual Refugee Status Determination (RSD) by the Government of Rwanda.
Show more
