Geneva, Switzerland, 17 December 2019 — One year after 181-member states adopted the Global Compact on Refugees, representatives from governments, NGOs, and the private sector are convening for the first ever Global Refugee Forum. The Forum comes at a time when refugee needs continue to outpace the response from the international community. In 2016, 37 countries committed to resettle refugees; only 25 have active refugee resettlement programs today, while countries that historically have been champions of refugee inclusion are increasingly failing to meet basic provisions of asylum.
Although a small number of host refugee countries – Ethiopia, Djibouti, Colombia, Uganda, and Jordan in particular – have stepped up, entire refugee communities have seen little change and remain vulnerable. Millions of refugees are trapped in legal limbo, stuck in camps, and are denied basic rights, while others are at risk of being forced to return from where they fled. If the international community wants to get serious about improving the lives of millions of refugees, leaders at the Forum need to take the following steps to ensure ideas are turned into action:
Host countries need to ensure refugees have access to jobs and a quality education, two paths that ensure refugees can thrive and contribute to their new communities.
Donors and governments need to move beyond short-term emergency funding and support longer-term projects with sustainable solutions.
Over half of all refugees are children, yet less than 3% of humanitarian funding goes towards education. The European Commission is leading the way by committing to 10%, and other governments should take their lead.
With the United States in retreat from its historic role as a leader in refugee resettlement, other countries will need to fill that gap. The European Commission’s target of pledging at least 30,000 refugee places is welcome, and should be matched by a commitment to have 250,000 places by 2025.
Access to jobs and education continue to be major barriers in helping refugees rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient. At the Forum, the IRC will discuss its newly launched partnership with the LEGO Foundation, PlayMatters, that will reach nearly 1 million children in East Africa with play-based learning and education. Additionally, a new IRC report identifies the barriers that prevent refugees – particularly women – from accessing the labour market, representing lost potential of $1.4 trillion to the global economy. These kinds of investments and insights into refugee education and livelihoods should be front and centre during conversations at the Forum.
The GRF is an opportunity for all stakeholders involved to hold each other accountable and commit to sustainable policies that ensure refugees not only survive but are given the chance to rebuild their lives and make real contributions to the host countries that welcome them.