Supporting Meaningful Refugee Participation: experiences ...resettlement.eu/sites/icmc/files/SHARE...
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Cities that Care, Cities that SHARE The SHARE Project Co-financed by the European Union Supporting Meaningful Refugee Participation: experiences from the SHARE Network 2 July 2019, ATCR
Transcript of Supporting Meaningful Refugee Participation: experiences ...resettlement.eu/sites/icmc/files/SHARE...
Cities that Care, Cities that SHAREThe SHARE Project
Co-financed by the European Union
Supporting Meaningful Refugee Participation: experiences from the SHARE Network
2 July 2019, ATCR
Co-financedbytheEuropeanCommission
Co-financed by the European Commission
Why SHARE?
• Multi-level governance challenges in resettlement:
national > regional > local
• The need to expand legal pathways:
o With over 50,000 places 20 Member States currently
implement the largest EU collective engagement on
resettlement to date
o 24 Member States relocated over 34,693 refugees
from Greece and Italy
o the European Commission encourages Member States
to set up private sponsorship schemes allowing
private groups or civil society organisations to
organise and finance resettlements in accordance
with national legislation
Co-financed by the European Commission
SHARE Integration project partners
CaritasEuropa(basedinBrussels)
ICMCEurope(basedinBrussels)
SHARE Integration “A Network of (small-size) cities, towns and local actors
committed to offering protection and welcome for resettled or relocated refugees in Europe”
• Currentproject:2018-2019
• raisetheprofileof-andengagewithsmallerciCesandtownstostrengthenrecep4onand
integra4onofreseEled/relocatedrefugeesincollabora4onwithprojectpartnersin
Austria,Belgium,France,Germany,Italy,theNetherlands,Portugal,RomaniaandtheUK.
ObjecCves1.Linkingpre-departureandpost-arrivalac4vi4es
2.Preparingsmallercommuni4esforrecep4on&integra4on
3.CapacityBuildingofemergingreseNlementcountries
4. Strengthening the SHARE Integra4onNetwork and facilita4ng Europeanbest prac4ceexchange
Challenge of defining ‘small’ in the EU… Population sizes below: <300.000 (EUROCITIES) <150.000 (medium) <50.000 (small)
Co-financed by the European Commission
Refugee participation:Why is it important?
o ‘Nothing about us without us’-RISE Network & The Network for Refugee Voices
o 2017 Refugee Declaration calls on the international community to:o Systematically incorporate refugee voices in policy-makingo Include beneficiaries at every level of design and implementation of
refugee-response programs.o Adopt a refugee-led approach to new innovations and initiatives
designed improve the lives of refugees.o Include refugees in their commitment towards the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)o Source: http://www.networkforrefugeevoices.org/declaration.html
o ‘Effectiveness Argument’
Co-financedbytheEuropeanCommission
IncludingpreviouslyreseEledrefugeesinSHARENetworkadvocacy,training,and
best-pracCceexchange
SHAREReseElementAmbassadorProgramme(2014-15)
• 9Ambassadorsfrom7Europeancountries
• 8countriesoforigin–5female,4male
• OccupaConsincludingstudent,acCvist,journalist,arCst,engineer,interpreter….
• Onlinetrainingprogramme(UniversityofSussex)
• ParCcipaConinSHAREevents,acCviCesandpublicaCons;advocacyatnaConalandlocallevelwithSHAREpartners
Co-financedbytheEuropeanCommission
IncludingpreviouslyreseEledrefugeesindesignanddeliveryofSHARE
WelcomingCommuniCesvideoseries
‘SmallPlaces,GreatHearts(2018-19)
• 7countryteamsin7Europeancountries
• RefugeesincludedindevelopmentofthescriptandvideoshooCng(renumerated)
• Refugeesfeaturedinthefilms,tellingtheirstoryofseElinginasmallmunicipality
• ParCcipaConatSHAREevents:launchingthevideosatlocaleventsandinternaConalconferences
• hEp://www.reseElement.eu/news/small-
places-great-hearts-share-welcoming-community-video-series
Zaanstad (The Netherlands) in collaboration with the Dutch Council for Refugees
Co-financedbytheEuropeanCommission
IncludingrefugeesasexpertspeakersatSHAREConferences
ExpertpanelonRefugeeSelf-RepresentaConattheSHAREAwarenessRaisingtoPromoteRefugeeInclusionConference,June2019
• Approx.20%ofparCcipants&presenterswerepersonswithlived
experiencerepresenCngtheirorganisaCons&iniCaCves
• ReflecCveandpaCcipatorydiscussions&debateonhowcivilsocietycansupportrefugeeself-representaCon
• Conclusions:
• AcCveciCzenship• Hirerefugees• Involverefugeesindecision-making(i.e.NGOboards,project
advisorycommiEees,policy-makingforums,parCcipatorydesignandevaluaCon,etc.)
Yagoub Kibeida, Mosaico
Lama Jaghjougha, RAWN
Co-financed by the European Commission
o Lack of direct contact with refugees at policy-focused organisations, umbrella networks, decision makers at national & EU level etc.
o Tokenism o Language barriers o Social and institutional structures o Implicit bias and prejudice o Lack of capacity?
Refugee participation:Why is it challenging?
Co-financed by the European Commission
Refugee participation:What practical steps can be taken to strengthen participation?
o Hire refugees: consider adjusting outreach strategies and vacancy requirements in
order to recruit more diverse staff
o Create opportunities for interaction à invite refugees as expert speakers and/or to
share their personal experience
o To overcome language barriers, work with interpreters and hire multi-lingual staff.
o Amplify refugee voices: share stories of positive contributions and ‘normal’ daily lives
o Involve refugees at every step of programme or policy-design.
o Partner with and fund refugee-led organisations.
o Avoid tokenism: work with refugees based on their relevant skills or expertise on a
topic
o Consider, question, acknowledge your position(s) and privilege.
Co-financed by the European Commission
http://www.resettlement.eu/page/welcome-share-network
ICMC Europe T: +32 2 227 97 29
Magdalena BOEHM, [email protected] www.icmc.net
