Chinedu Obi’s Post

Yeah, a Triple Win is published and available for download. The volume discusses how economic inclusion improves refugee financial autonomy and reduces the need for humanitarian assistance. It thus leads to savings which can be invested in economic development. This book studies the case of Syrian refugees in Jordan in detail.

Interesting analysis on costs and benefits of hosting Syrian refugees in Jordan.

International Youth Day: Todays youth are tomorrow’s leaders As the world celebrates International Youth Day, it is important to highlight the plight of refugee children who, despite being among the most vulnerable, are often neglected by the very institutions meant to protect them. My own children, like many others, are victims of this neglect.Since registering with UNHCR in 2019, my children have faced the horrors of human trafficking, attempts of kidnapping, and the constant threat of violence. Yet, despite these dangers, UNHCR has failed to provide the necessary protection and support. They have not only ignored our pleas for assistance but have also declined to take appropriate actions to safeguard my children’s welfare.In Cairo, the situation reached a critical point when an attempted kidnapping occurred just a year ago in August 2023. Since then, my children and I have been forced to stay indoors, living in constant fear, without any aid from the protection team. To make matters worse, my children recently found a school that enrolls students for free—a rare opportunity in our situation. However, they cannot attend because the school requires a resident permit, which will not be available to us until January 2025. This delay not only jeopardizes their education but also perpetuates the cycle of vulnerability and neglect that we have been trapped in for years.In addition, I have repeatedly asked UNHCR for a work permit so that I can provide for my family and give my children a better life. Yet, these requests have gone unanswered, leaving us dependent on aid that has not been forthcoming. Without the ability to work, I am unable to break free from the grip of poverty and insecurity that holds us back. On this International Youth Day, I call on UNHCR to fulfill their humanitarian obligations and prioritize the safety and well-being of refugee children. My children deserve a chance at a safe and dignified life, as do countless other refugee youth who continue to be marginalized and ignored. It is time for UNHCR to step up and take action, not just for my children but for all refugee youth who depend on their protection. Let us not forget that today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders, and they deserve every opportunity to thrive, no matter their circumstances.

Review of national policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks, and practice in Uganda This report aims to provide an understanding of the current policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks and practice in Uganda in relation to the access of refugees to the labour markets, employment, livelihood and training opportunities, including self-employment and business development, the rights at work, including social protection and freedom of association. This report aims to provide an understanding of the current policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks and practice in Uganda in relation to the access of refugees to the labour markets, employment, livelihood and training opportunities, including self-employment and business development, the rights at work, including social protection and freedom of association. The report reviewed national legislature, policy documents, datasets and grey literature to establish the legal basis for refugees’ access to work and their rights at work. Findings from the literature review were verified and triangulated with field work to establish how the laws are understood and implemented in practice. Field work included key informant interviews with stakeholders in government, private sector, humanitarian and UN agencies, and focus group discussions with refugees and host communities in Arua, Madi-Okollo, Terego and Isingiro districts. The report will guide implementation of PROSPECTS Partnership activities and would feed into the design of integrated interventions that promote decent work for refugees and host communities in Uganda. It would further inform the policy dialogue on the access of refugees to the labour markets and its recommendations. It is undertaken in conjunction with similar baselines drawn up in Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan, Iraq, Kenya, Egypt and Ethiopia. Uganda is currently hosting more than 1.5 million refugees, the largest refugee population in Africa and the third largest worldwide. The refugee situation is protracted and continues to intensify. Among the refugee community, South Sudanese make up the largest population at 61 per cent, followed by Congolese, Burundians and Somali. Most refugees live in settlements alongside their hosting communities in the north, south and midwest regions, which are among the most underdeveloped in the country. Host communities in Uganda that welcome refugee populations face economic, environmental and developmental challenges that continue to require support. This also puts significant pressure on government service delivery. Equitable attention to the needs of both communities is essential to sustain peaceful coexistence and to mitigate shocks to the delivery of public services Against this background, the PROSPECTS Partnership, which includes the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations High Com #FutureofWork #Strategy #Policy International Labour Organization

#refugeesupport The assertion that refugees don't need opportunities, education, solidarity, access to jobs, healthcare, or peace is not only inaccurate but also overlooks the fundamental needs and rights of individuals forced to flee their homes due to persecution, conflict, or violence. Refugees, like all human beings, have complex needs that must be addressed to ensure their well-being and dignity. Opportunities and education are essential for refugees to rebuild their lives, acquire skills, and contribute to the communities they find themselves in. Education provides hope for the future, empowers individuals to break the cycle of poverty, and equips them with the tools to navigate the challenges they face. Solidarity is crucial for refugees to feel supported and welcomed in their new environments. It fosters a sense of belonging and community, mitigating the isolation and trauma often associated with displacement. Access to jobs enables refugees to achieve economic self-sufficiency, support their families, and contribute to the local economy. Healthcare is a basic human right that refugees are entitled to, yet often struggle to access. Adequate healthcare ensures their physical and mental well-being, addressing the unique health challenges they may face due to displacement, trauma, or lack of access to healthcare in their countries of origin. Peace is perhaps the most fundamental need of all. Refugees flee conflict and violence in search of safety and security. Without peace, refugees remain trapped in a cycle of displacement, unable to return home or rebuild their lives. In conclusion, refugees need opportunities, education, solidarity, access to jobs, healthcare, and peace to thrive and rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. Dismissing these needs undermines their humanity and perpetuates their marginalization and vulnerability.

Read our joint civil society statement on the official aid figures for 2023, released today   In absolute terms, Official Development Assistance (ODA, or aid) increased from 2022 to 223.7 billion USD. This represents 0.37% of OECD DAC members’ collective GNI (equally low as in 2022). However, the DAC Civil Society Reference Group (DAC/CSO RG) has major concerns about the underlying trends reflected in these figures. Through its ‘ODA modernisation process’ the DAC has significantly expanded the list of what can be considered as ODA. As a consequence, aid is moving away from its original purpose of achieving poverty eradication and economic welfare and now includes many controversial flows of funds and goods. Reporting the cost of hosting refugees as ODA - also known as in-donor refugee costs - is, once again, the main way donors are inflating their ODA, distorting the statistics and hence misrepresenting the real donor effort. In reality payments by donors to themselves. A serious and mature discussion on defintion of ODA (Aid) is needed! Read full statment here: https://lnkd.in/drwbfQKF Regeringskansliet, Utrikesdepartementet EU-CORD

Today is World Refugee Day. Please read these facts and consider if you can help. May I suggest also that in 2 weeks time when you vote, you consider the impact on refugees as part of your decision making process. If you are voting for a party that: 1. Wants to cut the Foreign Aid Budget 2. Encourages sales of arms to countries with a bad human rights record 3. Refuses to provide safe routes to apply for asylum for the relative few of the 100 million refugees who want to come to the UK. 4. Will not provide a quick and transparent asylum application system 5. Will not work with other countries around the world to ease this problem that is only getting worse then you are making this problem worse. Please consider helping in other ways too. Remember, but for the luck of the draw, you could be a refugee through no fault of your own. https://lnkd.in/eFPfNvDv

11.73 million people forcibly displaced in 2023, United Nations The Commissioner for Refugees fears an increase in the number of homeless people due to further conflicts – Photo: Reuters Geneva: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that the number of forcibly displaced people has increased dramatically in the past year, with a record 11.73 million people forced from their homes. Deprived. According to the report of the foreign news agency Reuters, the UNHCR has warned of an increase in the number of displaced people in view of the political changes taking place at the global level, and the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said that these people are seeking shelter. Refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people due to deteriorating conditions and victims of the worst increase in violence include. He said that the problem of homeless people is getting worse day by day and the number of homeless people is increasing rapidly on an annual basis during the last 12 years. According to UNHCR estimates for the first months of 2024, the number of displaced persons has increased by 4 months and by the end of April, the total number has exceeded 12 million. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, pointing to fears of new conflicts, said the number is likely to increase unfortunately unless there is political change at the global level. Filippo Grandi said that the number of displaced people includes those affected by the ongoing war in Sudan and that this is one of the worst problems that the world is not paying attention to due to other conflicts. He said that due to the war in Sudan, 9 million people have been internally displaced and another 2 million people have migrated to the neighboring countries of Chad, Egypt and South Sudan. He said that hundreds of people are arriving in Chad on a daily basis. 80 percent of the population, 1.7 million people have been displaced by the 8-month-long war and brutal Israeli bombardment in Gaza, and this process is still ongoing. Filippo Grandi warned that an Israeli crackdown on a possible influx of Palestinians into Egypt via the Rafah border from Gaza could lead to a crisis. He said that another issue of refugees outside Gaza will become a crisis at all levels because we are not sure that all these people will return to Gaza one day. #million #people #forcibly #displaced #United #Nations

What does a day in the life of a Strategic Partnership Adviser look like ? As Strategic Partnership Adviser for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Afghanistan, my role is to engage with partners, both old and new, build and consolidate relationships and find complementarity. These relationships are vital in developing new and innovative projects to support the people of Afghanistan, the displaced, refugee returnees and host communities. My days are full of interactions with many different interlocutors, who include UN sister Agencies, financial institutions, private companies, NGOs including our Afghan NGO partners, colleagues at UNHCR, and the people we work with and for. While always eventful, each day of the week is different from the other. From the Tokham border crossing point to the pomegranate fields and juice factory in Kandahar passing by the greenhouses in Kapisa Province, the artisans' workshops in Herat and official meetings in Kabul, the motto is always to find solutions for the people we serve, to protect the most vulnerable, to assist them with shelter, cash assistance, community-based programmes, psychosocial support, livelihoods and to encourage self-reliance. Many solutions are found in working together with partners and more often than not, the key to success lies in good partnerships. Day in and out, we discuss how to develop or scale-up our programmes to support displaced people and returnees, the youth, the women, the girls, many of whom have been displaced for years, recently returned and face challenges in rebuilding their lives. These moments of sharing and talking are crucial to understanding the situation, the challenges people face and to develop the impactful projects and partnerships, that respond to their needs. Among our valuable partners, NGOs play an important role in working hand-in-hand with us to deliver vital humanitarian relief and basic needs support, Development Banks and International Financial Institutions have a critical role in helping to find longer-term solutions. The private sector is a cardinal pillar – that can and must help us to innovate, to help us build self-reliance and access to employment. With UN sister Agencies we work on our complementarity and the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus. But there is a common trait between the days and it is the commitment to serve and find solutions for the people who have been forced to flee and those welcoming them. A commitment we share among all colleagues in the UNHCR family, and everything is always easier with a smile. #HumanitariansAtWork

Join us and Instiglio this Friday, Nov 22, at 10 AM EAT for a webinar on Social Protection for Migrants in Africa: Milestones and Challenges We are delighted to have Andrew Agumba, the Assistant Livelihoods & Economic Inclusion Officer at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency Kenya, as a panelist. Currently, at UNHCR Kenya, he spearheads initiatives aimed at fostering refugee self-reliance through economic inclusion and the integration of refugees into social protection systems. During the webinar, Andrew will share his insights on: · Context & Challenges: An overview of the current landscape of social protection for refugees and migrants in Africa, highlighting the most pressing needs and gaps. · Policy & Legal Frameworks: The key challenges in integrating refugees and migrants into national systems. What are the major policy and legal hurdles in integrating refugees and immigrants into national social protection systems? Are there any recent advancements or ongoing efforts to improve access to social protection for refugees in Africa? Register here: https://bit.ly/4fEcw2p Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Andrew and other experts as they discuss strategies to create a comprehensive approach blending national social protection systems with targeted humanitarian aid—ensuring the inclusion of migrants and displaced persons in Africa’s long-term development. #SocialProtection #Migration #SocialImpact #FundingForImpact