New development: from aid to empowerment—making refugee policy more sustainable

This article explores the growing shift towards opportunity-focused policies, particularly the support of refugee-founded businesses that bolster self-determination and dignity as individuals rebuild their lives. Examples of successfully implemented initiatives are provided. The authors call on researchers and public administrators to consider where transitions between humanitarian and opportunity systems can be co-ordinated. One key challenge facing policy-makers is that shifting to an opportunity-focused policy does not negate the need for sensitivity in supporting asylum seekers and refugees who are likely to have experienced trauma. Another challenge is that the refugee sector and business sector are not currently well aligned in most countries that have piloted business support programmes, creating some issues with implementation. The authors detail a research framework that is sensitive to the macro, meso and micro level implications of shifts towards greater opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers.