Hovig Etyemezian’s Post

In our latest blog post, MMC intern Bridgette Lang discusses the MMC’s Global Cities Fund (#GCF) and its role in supporting cities, such as #Dunaivtsi, in their IDP response amidst the ongoing #UkraineWar. “With the support of the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees (#GCF), Dunaivtsi is not only providing immediate relief to those displaced by the ongoing crisis but also laying the foundation for a brighter tomorrow for all its residents, both old and new," writes Bridgette. You can read more of her article on the MMC website here 👉 https://bit.ly/45hUXjd

Advocating for Investment in Refugee-Led Organizations. A Call to Action In today's interconnected world, investing in refugee-led organizations is not just an act of compassion; it's a strategic move towards sustainable development and global stability. Refugee-led organizations (RLOs) are uniquely positioned to understand and address the nuanced needs of their communities. These organizations bring firsthand experience and innovative solutions to the challenges faced by refugees, often operating in regions where larger institutions may encounter challenges. - Empowerment and agency: By supporting RLOs, refugees are empowered to take control of their future, fostering self-reliance and resilience. - Cultural and contextual insight: #Refugee possess deep cultural and contextual knowledge, enabling more effective and tailored interventions. - Cost-effective solutions: #RLOs often operate with lower overheads, ensuring that funds directly impact their projects. - Grassroots connection and impact: These organizations have strong grassroots connections, facilitating greater participation and cooperation within their communities. - Sustainable development: Long-term investment in RLOs contributes to sustainable community development and stability, reducing the likelihood of protracted displacement situations. Let's champion these remarkable organizations and advocate for policies and funding that recognize their critical role. Together, we can build a future where every #refugee has the opportunity to thrive. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency ILO PROSPECTS International Labour Organization FAO World Food Programme GIZ Kenya TURKANA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (KNCCI) Nanduri Sateesh Bodo Immink Caroline Njuki Lilyanne Ndinda, MBA Imbolokonye Ingutia PAUL ERUKUDI #RefugeeLeadership #SustainableDevelopment #InvestmentForImpact #EmpowerCommunities

The second Global #RefugeeForum that took place from 13 to 15 December in Geneva was another important global opportunity to shed light on the increasing protracted displacement situations. More investments are required to reverse this trend by supporting resilience-based development & self-reliance. Thanks to UNDP's Crisis Bureau for coordinating an inclusive engagement in the GRF preparations and for featuring the Syrian refugee crisis highly on the agenda. Looking forward to the work to come. "Building on its engagements with governments in host countries, as well as humanitarian, development and peace partners, UNDP is pledging to strengthen national and local capacities for coordination and management, service delivery, livelihoods and job creation, and social cohesion help mobilize timely, predictable, and sustainable development financing, while also preventing forced displacement through peacebuilding and climate action." https://lnkd.in/dBuGFrjh

The plight of refugees worldwide continues to intensify, but the organizations best positioned to help often struggle with funding. Here’s why the system fails and how we can change it: 1. Lack of Recognition. Local organizations, including those led by Refugees (RLOs) understand local needs best, yet they are often overlooked by major donors in favor of larger, international NGOs. 2. Rigid Funding Models. Traditional funding models favor established patterns over innovative, grassroots approaches. RLOs typically don’t fit these outdated models. 3. Limited Resources. RLOs often lack the resources to meet stringent funding requirements, such as detailed grant proposals or extensive reporting, which limits their access to critical funds. Potential for Change: 1. Increase direct funding to RLOs to enhance their capacity to respond effectively. 2. Simplify and streamline application and reporting processes to be more accessible to smaller, less formally structured organizations. 3. Foster partnerships between international NGOs and RLOs to combine resources, expertise, and legitimacy. The current system failure to adequately support RLOs undermines the effectiveness of humanitarian responses. By investing in local organizations, we not only empower those directly affected by crises but also enhance the overall efficacy and responsiveness of aid. P.S. Do you think more direct funding to RLOs could make a difference? #RefugeeFunding #RefugeeLeadership #RefugeeParticipation

Our social impact team joined forces with the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to create an innovative and sustainable financing mechanism to invest in refugee reforestation and clean cooking programs across developing countries. The carbon impact of these programs would be registered and verified to generate the first-ever large-scale refugee-generated carbon credits. The sale of these credits would help replenish the Fund, allowing it to re-invest in new reforestation and clean cooking programs. Read more here > https://owy.mn/47MvcK3 #CarbonCredits #SustainableFinance #OWForSociety

Excited to head back to D.C. to participate in the Fragility Forum - an important space to build new partnerships and demonstrate the potential for investments in frontier markets. One example is the pioneering work that IFC - International Finance Corporation has been leading, together with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and others in northwest Kenya, as captured by Jumoke Jagun-Dokunmu Jumoke points to key lessons that we need to focus on to make progress in these markets: 1. More (transparent) market data 2. Look at the opportunities (not only challenges) of investing in entrepreneurship in refugee and host-communities as one marketplace 3. Build presence in the field and be open to new partners to help de-risk investments Mirek Dusek Peter Maurer Diego Hakspiel Lisa Satolli Jim R. Thomas Djurhuus James Purcell https://lnkd.in/eKE7uyxk

How do we create the conditions for individuals and organizations to work collaboratively together on the systemic challenges refugees and migrants face? How do we develop our capacities as systems thinkers to understand the many factors that impact migration and develop solutions that address the profound interconnections between ourselves, each other, and our world? In a number of sessions throughout the Migration Summit, we heard from communities that are creating innovative ecosystems to support cross-sector collaboration and develop systems wide solutions.  Read more about the thematic recommendations we heard from the ecosystem - https://lnkd.in/dqVnwW_7

With #WorldRefugeeDay approaching, it is important to emphasize that forced displacement is a crisis too large and complex for governments and humanitarian agencies to solve alone.  That’s why IFC and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency partnered on the IFC UNHCR Joint Initiative that mobilizes private sector projects to create inclusive economic opportunities for refugees and their host communities. Together, we can demonstrate that investments in forced displacement contexts are both viable and beneficial to local economies and markets.  🔎 Learn more about our partnership: http://wrld.bg/QOIy50SlTxb #WithRefugees #RefugeeDay #forceddisplacement #migrant #refugee