Jackline Wanyonyi

With a background in urban development, I have experience in forced displacement research, project management, and policy advocacy focused on sustainable urbanization and community development. I specialize in mixed-methods research, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to produce evidence that informs practice. My work additionally, places emphasis on participatory methodologies, shaped by previous engagements with various stakeholders such as, youth in informal settlements and urban refugees, including LGBTQ+ communities. I have also collaborated with policymakers at both city and national levels to support the development of inclusive urban interventions. I am passionate about urban equity, cultural expression, and co-creating solutions.

I am currently on an ESRC funded CASE Studentship, at the University of Manchester, jointly supervised by Dr. Oliver Bakewell and Dr. Thomas Gillespie (Global Development Institute, University of Manchester), and Dr. Lucy Earle, Director of the Human Settlements Group at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). My research explores how cities are responding to "wicked problems" including growing refugee populations and their protracted displacement. I therefore, critically examine how the concept of the sanctuary city can be reinterpreted beyond its Global North framing to fit the realities of Global South cities like Nairobi. My work aims to contribute to broader academic debates on displacement, urban development, and migration governance, and seeks to generate policy-relevant insights for cities.