Authors:

Sarita Kumari, Iram Sarver

Abstract:

In a time of forced displacement worldwide, fragile democracies, and increasing structural inequalities, urban refugees represent the intersection of peacebuilding, economic insecurity, and education. Aligned with UNESCO's goal of promoting peace in human minds, this paper examines how exclusion from public education systems affects human capital development and economic engagement among Afghan refugees in New Delhi. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork—including structured observations and semi-structured interviews with refugee households, children, educators, and local stakeholders—the study investigates three interrelated dimensions: access to education, school–work trade-offs, and livelihood strategies under conditions of legal precarity. Findings show that refugee children are systematically excluded from municipal schooling and depend largely on NGO-mediated education systems that are vulnerable to funding volatility. This fragmentation creates learning discontinuities and forces many children to combine schooling with informal labour. The paper considers these dynamics as forms of structural and everyday violence that constrain the long-term development of human capital, thereby enabling refugees to contribute to inclusive urban growth. Depending on the location, refugees can serve as active economic agents for small businesses and service networks operating in the host economy. The pursuit of education and access to inclusionary jobs in a context that limits agency characterizes the research participants. By placing refugee education within the frameworks of SDG 4.7 (global citizenship and inclusive education) and SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), the paper argues that integrating refugees into public education systems is both a humanitarian responsibility and a peacebuilding strategy. Improving inclusive educational governance can change urban displacement from a cause of marginalization into a foundation for sustainable and just peace.

Keywords:

Forced Displacement, Education, and Peace Pedagogies. 

Vol & Issue:

VOL.18, ISSUE No.1, March 2026