Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Post

📽 More than 100 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide. And most will not be able to go back home any time soon. They face the challenge of having to rebuild their lives elsewhere. To help displaced people become more self-reliant as they do so, different actors – including humanitarian and development organizations – have been increasingly working together to foster refugees’ economic and social inclusion. To gauge how effective this approach has been so far, we partnered up with ISDC - International Security and Development Center to look at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s work in Colombia, Jordan & Kenya. Our research confirmed that efforts to include refugees in local development programs are yielding tangible benefits – for both refugees and the communities that host them. Check out our main findings and recommendations to governments, humanitarians & development actors: https://lnkd.in/dKed6d_u. And learn more about the #NexusAgenda and our related evaluation project here: https://lnkd.in/esKSh64f.

World Refugee Day is observed annually on June 20th. This date celebrates the resilience, courage, and impacts of refugees worldwide. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the plight of forcibly displaced individuals and advocating for their rights, protection, and well-being. Every year, We Are All America (WAAA) invites local leaders, partners, and advocates to join a series of impactful actions and events aimed at celebrating our refugee communities, engaging local elected officials, and learning more about ways to support refugees and refugee resettlement.  As part of these efforts, WAAA, Refugee Congress, Refugee Advocacy Lab, and IRAP are launching a Digital Week of Action, a dynamic initiative designed to mobilize the field of forcibly displaced people and their supporters. This week-long campaign harnesses the power of social media, online platforms, and digital advocacy to amplify the voices of refugees, share their stories, and highlight the urgent need for robust refugee protections and resettlement programs. https://lnkd.in/gBxPEivU

With utmost gratitude to the communities in Dadaab, Kakuma, & Kalobeyei for trusting me with their experiences, out today is my report for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) on #education and #protection for children in #Kenya's refugee camps. This report comes at a time when, across the globe, conflicts are becoming increasingly protracted, new escalations of violence are occurring, climate disasters are more frequent, and humanitarian crises are worsening. Such realities are displacing more children than ever before and for longer periods of time. Many children are now spending their entire childhoods displaced, and for some, their entire childhoods in refugee camps. Children and youth are championing solutions and they are how I still see hope. I hope you do too. But we need to do better. Neglecting timely and sustained action risks leaving generations of children behind. You can click below to read key findings from my visits to #Dadaab, #Kakuma, and #Kalobeyei, as well as recommendations for how the international community can and must keep its promises to refugee children and uphold their rights. https://bit.ly/3NrufOK

Help protect the right to seek safety ✍ Sign by 13th December the UNHCR’s Hope Away from Home Campaign to be presented at the Global Refugee Forum! It calls on leaders to prioritize: - Access to #safeterritory and preventing people from facing violence or dying along the routes. - Adequate conditions and treatment for refugees in line with #humanrights, #dignity and #inclusion. - Accession to the #RefugeeConvention, lifting reservations and establishing efficient asylum procedures. - Increased access to #durablesolutions, including resettlement. - Solidarity and #support to countries and communities hosting large refugee populations. 🔎 Here the link to sign: https://lnkd.in/dfNuy77F

"Today, on World Refugee Day, we honor the resilience and courage of refugees around the world who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, and violence. Let us stand in solidarity with them and recognize their struggles, their stories, and their hopes for a better future. We must work together to create a more inclusive and compassionate world, where everyone has a safe place to call home. Let us amplify the voices of refugees, advocate for their rights, and support their journey towards healing, recovery, and integration. #WorldRefugeeDay #RefugeesWelcome #StandWithRefugees #RefugeeSupport #HumanRights #CompassionInAction #InclusionMatters"

Refugee children are three times more likely to be poor than adults.   The case for extending social protection coverage to children – including vulnerable refugee children – is clear. It enables learning, it protects families from negative coping strategies and it strengthens the resilience of families to shocks. It is an effective tool to alleviate poverty, support learning outcomes and contribute to local economic development in refugee hosting communities.   This is why this pledge is so important: it recognizes that investing in refugee-inclusive social protection is an investment in shared prosperity. Join us tomorrow #SocialProtection for #everychild Nupur Kukrety Natalia Winder Rossi Verena Knaus Nuray Nazli Inal Mattia Polvanesi

#Collaboration ▶ It's so good to exchange ideas with partners who have the same goal. ▶ We want a world in which people are not forced to leave their homes because war, violence and lack of protection force them to do so. ▶ Nobody is a refugee by choice! ▶ UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency's National Partners in Europe met in Stockholm to exchange ideas and talk with #UNHCR colleagues about how to mobilize even more direct support from civil societies for UNHCR. ▶ Together we stand #withrefugees

Excited to share insights from the Global Refugee Forum 2023! We witnessed a groundbreaking moment as over 328 forcibly displaced and stateless persons, representing 8% of attendees, joined the conversation. Their participation isn't just a number—it's a testament to the power of inclusive dialogue in shaping humanitarian responses. The formation of the Coalition on Meaningful Refugee Participation and efforts to integrate displaced voices in policy-making are paving the way for a future where solutions are not just about refugees but also by them. Yet, as we celebrate these achievements, we're also reminded of the hurdles—visa issues, language barriers, and more—that we must overcome together. Looking ahead to the High-Level Officials Meeting in 2025, let's use the momentum from the GRF 2023 as a catalyst for change. Here's to breaking barriers, embracing diverse voices, and building a more inclusive humanitarian community. Read the full report https://lnkd.in/gUqU8uyi #GRF2023 #RefugeeParticipation #HumanitarianInnovation #InclusiveDialogue

Another critical issue that needs to be discussed is the "school-age itself" especially for refugees whose education systems in their home countries are often broken and fail to provide early education. Many refugees struggle to pursue higher education at an older age, and when displacement disrupts their lives again, their educational aspirations are put at risk. By the time they can focus on education again, many are beyond the typical school age, which becomes a significant barrier to accessing educational opportunities like scholarships. We need education to be age-inclusive, recognizing that anyone with the zeal to pursue learning should have the opportunity to do so, regardless of their age. Mastercard Foundation World University Service of Canada (WUSC - EUMC)

Strong messages at the #RefugeeForum - Global Refugee Forum in Geneva on integrated settlement approaches instead of encampment politics at the session on "Sustainable, Integrated Human Settlements: Towards Refugees Inclusion, Self-Reliance and Community Resilience" (https://lnkd.in/gDisgA_R). With most displaced people living in #urban areas or #cities, integrated, area-based solutions have to be developed to enable people to live dignified lives, but also enabling them to live up to their full potentials. Global Shelter Cluster, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme)