The vulnerability of refugees: Some reflections on definitions and measurement practices

Abstract

The legal and policy discourse on refugees has been mainly focusing on the labelling of particularly vulnerable persons or groups, while it has neglected to offer reflections on the effects of definitions and assessment practices over the creation of stereotypes and of biases in the identification of beneficiaries of protection. The aim of this paper was to offer some reflections on the how categories of vulnerability defined by international and supranational law are operationalised and implemented in the practice of the vulnerability assessment inside the humanitarian organisations. Our analysis shows that the vagueness of the legal definitions affects the way in which humanitarian organisations operationalise it. It also shows that the complexity of the relationships among the various vulnerability dimensions has generally been underrated in both scholarly writings and humanitarian practices. Thus, we outline the basis for alternative responses by the agencies engaged in vulnerability assessment practices.