On 26 November 2025, LERRN in partnership with the Global Academic Interdisciplinary Network (GAIN), hosted a webinar titled “UNHCR at 75: Challenges and Opportunities.� The webinar was moderated by Liliana Jubilut, co-chair of GAIN. The panel consisted of four speakers: Jeff Crisp, research associate at the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford, Jean Marie Ishimwe, East Africa regional lead of Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table (R-SEAT), Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, assistant high commissioner for protection at the UNHCR, and James Milner, LERRN’s project director. The distinguished panel was joined by 98 participants online from 22 countries across the world.

With people displaced worldwide, the global refugee regime is confronting an unprecedented level of complexity and scale in forced displacement. This magnitude—further compounded by budget cuts and the withdrawal of political and humanitarian commitments by major donor countries—has raised critical questions about the capacity of leading organizations to effectively respond to the needs of refugees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons, and other forcibly displaced populations. On the eve of UNHCR’s 75th anniversary, this webinar convened academics, civil society actors, and refugee leaders to reflect on the organization’s historical role and its future in the global refugee regime. Ahead of the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review in Geneva later this month, the panel discussed both the obstacles and opportunities facing UNHCR in the current political climate and offered suggestions for future action. The panelists collectively agreed that in order to adequately safeguard refugee protection in an increasingly turbulent world, stakeholders must work towards greater solidarity, inclusion, and multilateral collaboration that centers refugees’ lived experience and expertise. 

Menikdiwela opened the session by noting that has evolved over the past 75 years in response to the changing context and increasing complexity of forced migration. She outlined the agency’s expanded scope—now encompassing stateless persons and, in some cases, internally displaced people—and its three core pillars: international protection, durable solutions, and adherence to the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. She emphasized the need for national and international support that benefits both refugees and host communities, while highlighting five key challenges: the scale of mass displacement driven by protracted conflicts, a shrinking humanitarian space and the politicization of asylum, persistent funding gaps and staffing shortages, the growing complexity of displacement, and the accelerating global climate crisis. To address these challenges, Menikdiwela underscored the importance of reliable data, cross-sector and inter-agency collaboration, participatory research, and inclusive practices that amplify refugees’ expertise. She highlighted how partnerships with academia and refugee-led organizations (RLOs), along with localization and multidisciplinary approaches, can strengthen the global refugee regime’s effectiveness and legitimacy.

Reflecting on 75 years of leadership in emergency response, protection, and the pursuit of durable solutions, Menikdiwela emphasized that UNHCR’s mandate remains as vital and relevant today as it was at its inception.

James Milner outlined several current challenges shaping discourse around the functioning of the global refugee regime and UNHCR’s mandate: a collapse in funding as traditional donors redirect resources toward defense rather than protection; rising political hostility to the asylum regime that undermines foundational refugee and human rights norms; and declining confidence in multilateralism. Despite this context, Milner expressed optimism, noting that the regime has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to adapt to geopolitical shifts. He reminded the audience that geopolitics have shaped UNHCR’s evolution since the early days of the Cold War. These transformations, he argued, have also created openings for stronger refugee-led responses, increased leadership from the Global South, and the emergence of new norms that may positively reform the regime. Looking ahead, Milner highlighted the importance of cooperation among like-minded actors and states, along with greater civil society participation—particularly by refugee-led organizations—as a pathway toward more effective co-governance within the regime. He underscored the value of innovative approaches and collective efforts aligned with the principles of the , including locally produced knowledge and equitable partnerships.

Drawing on his personal experience working in East Africa— a region that is both a host and a producer of displaced persons—where meaningful refugee participation is becoming an emerging norm, Ishimwe emphasized the need to restructure the system by placing refugee leadership at the core of the refugee regime. He argued that partners must move beyond tokenistic approaches to participation and instead ground their policies and programming in collective solidarity and genuine recognition of refugees as experts and innovators, rather than as burdens or aid-dependent populations. He noted that while East Africa is seeing a growing number of refugee-led organizations (RLOs), these groups often struggle for recognition and sustainable funding, as governments and institutions frequently limit their role to consultation rather than leadership. True progress, Ishimwe suggested, requires resetting the humanitarian system with new leadership; institutionalizing meaningful refugee participation at the center of the system beyond project-based engagement; and positioning refugees in executive roles to ensure that policies and programs are effective, just, and reflective of their needs, aspirations, and lived realities.

Jeff Crisp shifted the conversation to the role of academia in shaping UNHCR’s policies, programs, and practices, and examined the extent to which academic research influences the organization’s mandate. He noted that while independent research has helped shape UNHCR’s broader intellectual framework—informing policy agendas on issues such as repatriation, refugee mobility, and refugee-led organizations—its direct impact on UNHCR’s day-to-day policies and practices has been difficult to measure. Crisp suggested that some of these challenges stem from academics’ tendency to use inaccessible language, produce research in formats misaligned with policy needs, or propose studies at moments when they are not actionable. Academic work also sometimes overlooks localized knowledge or recommends solutions that do not align with current priorities or available resources. From the organizational side, Crisp observed that UNHCR’s engagement with academia has historically depended heavily on leadership support, including initiatives like the open-access working paper series and partnerships with research centers worldwide. However, he noted that this support has declined in recent years due to growing skepticism toward independent researchers and, at times, an unwillingness to hear critiques of the organization. He recommended revitalizing and strengthening these relationships through timely, innovative collaborations—rather than simply expanding tokenistic networks.

Q&A Discussion

During the Q&A session, panelists’ interventions sparked a vibrant discussion in response to questions submitted by the audience. With growing concern that the regime is facing its most profound crisis—and that the protection of refugee rights may be at risk—the panelists were asked to share their calls to action for global leaders and their vision for UNHCR’s future.

In response, Milner emphasized that no single actor can reform the regime without broad consensus and multisectoral collaboration; UNHCR relies on partnerships to fulfill its mandate, and the importance of collective action cannot be overstated. Crisp called for a reassessment of UNHCR’s scope and activities to ensure the organization prioritizes its core mandate of refugee protection. Ishimwe stressed the centrality of refugee participation and the need for a mindset shift toward a system accountable not only to donor countries but to refugees themselves. He added that while the system may not yet be prepared for refugees to lead, such a paradigm shift is essential for meaningful change.

In their concluding remarks, all panelists underscored the importance of centering lived experience and localized knowledge in policy and programming. They recommended leveraging new technologies to co-create knowledge with researchers who have lived experience of displacement, using prominent platforms to elevate the work of refugee researchers, allocating sustainable funding to RLOs, and—most importantly—expanding refugee participation beyond storytelling to genuine leadership and substantive influence in executive spaces, ensuring participation is meaningful rather than performative.

Watch the full webinar:

Relevant Content

At a time when global displacement is at its highest, this synthesis report offers a timely and evidence-based perspective on how refugees themselves — not only external actors — are leading meaningful, locally rooted, and effective responses. By drawing together diverse regional experiences and deepening our understanding of refugee agency, the report reinforces the need for policy and funding frameworks, provides clear recommendations to strengthen support for RLOs and advance meaningful refugee participation.

In this report:

• The report draws lessons from the LERRN two large research studies that involved participation of over 400 refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and more than 100 refugee leaders in 25 different locations across nine countries: Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Colombia, Chile, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia.
• The report highlights the variety of RLO roles — from service provision (education, livelihoods, social support) to cultural activities, advocacy, and community-level governance.
• The analysis highlights both constraints an opportunities: how refugee-led responses build agency and resilience, and how political, legal and funding barriers continue to limit their full potential.
• The report includes practical recommendations for donors, governments, international agencies, and civil society to strengthen support for refugee-led organizations and to advance meaningful refugee participation.

Read or download the full report:

Upcoming Event:

We at LERRN invite you to explore this timely report and to join us for a panel discussion “Building Bridges Across Regions� in Geneva on 15 December!

Whether you are a researcher, student, policy-maker, member of a refugee-led organization, or simply interested in inclusive and community-led humanitarian responses, we invite you to join us for a panel discussion to learn more about this report findings and hear from the discussants.

LERRN will host an in person event, Building Bridges Across Regions: East Africa & Latin America, in Geneva on 15 December as part of the

Our panel discussion provides a critical opportunity to reflect on the report’s insights, consider their implications for refugee-led responses globally, and explore pathways to strengthen refugee agency across regions and within the global refugee regime.

For more information about the upcoming event, visit LERRN upcoming events.

On the 12th of September 2025, a panel discussion titled “Towards a New Response to Forced Migration through Local Engagement Refugee Research Network� concluded the three-day LERRN 2.0 launch in Ottawa. The roundtable brought together academia and civil society partners with lived experience of displacement to present to the public the newly launched global partnership between academia and forcibly displaced communities (LERRN 2.0)

The discussion was moderated by Rez Gardi, Co-Director of LERRN and Co-Managing Director of R-SEAT. Panelists included James Milner, Co-Director of LERRN; Mustafa Alio, Co-Managing Director of R-SEAT; Ana Maria Diez of Coalición por Venezuela; and Stephanie Lopez Villamil, South America Project Lead and Researcher.

The panel highlighted the urgent challenges facing refugees globally and emphasized the need to prioritize new ways of incorporating the expertise of people with lived experiences of forced displacement into the functioning of the global refugee system. This includes fostering trust and investing in truly collaborative relationships between academics and forcibly displaced populations. By engaging refugees and displaced communities in the co-production of research, policy, and initiatives, stakeholders can leverage local knowledge, skills, and resources to create solutions that are more effective and accountable to the communities they aim to serve.

James Milner stressed the growing fragility of the global refugee system, noting that the political and financial foundations established after World War II have become increasingly vulnerable. He explained that the new phase of LERRN—built on a collective vision for change and trust-based partnerships among academia, civil society, and refugee leaders—aims to contribute to meaningful solutions. As Dr. Milner stated, “We respond by having the courage to think differently—no single set of actors has a monopoly on the truth.�

Ana Maria Diez, drawing on her expertise and knowledge of the regional crisis in Latin America—particularly the Venezuelan displacement—emphasized that sudden, unsubstantiated funding reductions have forced many regional initiatives to shut down. She noted that the closure of the Darién Gap illustrates the grave dangers that arise when escape routes are blocked, but it does not stop people from seeking safety.

Stephanie Lopez-Villamil shared findings from her extensive research in Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, highlighting how shifts in foreign aid policies and fragile asylum systems increase risks for people seeking refuge, placing them in more vulnerable and life-threatening conditions. She also underscored the crucial role of refugee leadership in safeguarding communities.

The discussion highlighted the urgent need for the international community to re-mobilize, strengthen protections to address systemic gaps, and foster deeper collaboration with displaced-led organizations to achieve effective and sustainable solutions.

LERRN’s new six-year partnership underscores a commitment to innovation and the development of a new response framework for forced migration. Broader collaborations with RLOs around the world create more opportunities for equal research partnerships and for amplifying refugee voices in key areas such as academia.

emphasized that academia can play the role of building trust with refugees and decision-making authorities that can influence positive outcomes for people forced to flee. Collaborations with academic institutions offer platforms for shared knowledge exchange and creation of innovative responses to displacement.

Central to LERRN 2.0 is the effort to elevate the voices of forcibly displaced communities and ensure their experiences inform research, policy, and practice. The partnership aims to promote inclusive approaches that benefit both refugees and host communities, fostering hope that coordinated, courageous action can drive change even in challenging times.

Related Posts

On 10 September 2025, the Migration and Diaspora Studies (MDS) program launched its Guest Speaker Series for the 2025-2026 academic year. The event welcomed MDS students into a thought-provoking dialogue with , LERRN partner, a distinguished scholar in the political economy of education and Co-Director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Research Studies (CAPRS) at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. In this conversation, Dr. Shah invited participants to reflect on the key themes of his draft paper, “The Tangled Web between Refugee Rights, Capitalism, Race, and Education”. Drawing on his extensive research, Dr. Shah encouraged students to critically examine how these forces intersect within education in emergencies, positioning it as a key site for understanding the complex intersectionality of forced migration.

Borders are more than lines—they shape who belongs

Dr. Shah began by discussing contemporary bordering and its connection to racialization, highlighting how these practices continue to impact refugee education. He defined bordering as the “practices and policies that construct, maintain, and enforce borders,� emphasizing that borders are not only physical but also social and political practices embedded in everyday life. Beyond geographic boundaries, bordering shapes who is included or excluded, and also influences individuals’ sense of belonging. Racialization, through groupings, labels, and categories, justifies mobility for some while criminalizing or securitizing movement for others. Furthermore, this racialization determines the levels of protection and access to rights available to different individuals and groups.

Drawing on the work of Nira Yuval-Davis et al. in , Dr. Shah elucidated the concept of “gray zones� — spaces where national sovereignty and accountability become blurred in contemporary migration management, leading to the externalization of migration. He argued that the provision of education has itself become a “gray zone� within this context. Much of contemporary externalization is observed within the Global North, which prioritizes security over human rights, leaving many refugees in an “unsettled present and uncertain future.� Dr. Shah presented examples of how non-state actors in the Global North have come to profit from the externalization of mass migration.

Dr. Shah suggested that the work of refugee teachers and learners in and through these gray zones is both necessary and vulnerable to global capitalism. For learners, the primary challenge is accessing education, whilst teachers navigate gray zones by creating opportunities in informal and unrecognized education programs. Due to the unaccredited nature of these programs, learners often struggle to find higher levels of education or navigate their way into the workforce. Refugee teachers often face restrictions that limit their ability to join the workforce due to host country fears of increased unemployment for citizens. Additional barriers include the non-recognition of refugees’ credentials and qualifications or, when recognition is possible, a process that is often complex, bureaucratic, and difficult to navigate.

Global capitalism profits from exclusion

Dr. Shah and students reflected on the question of why there has been no national political will for enabling refugee teachers to help address the growing teacher shortage. To answer this question, Dr. Shah turned to the work of Nancy Fraser, who argued that global capitalism is fueled by exploitation and expropriation, relying on conditions that are created outside the formal economy, which help sustain and expand its operations. Capitalism thus thrives off emerging spaces outside the traditional realm of commodification and economic activity. Dr. Shah argued that contemporary political and social structures of the Global North are indicative of racialized capitalism.

Dr. Shah concluded by arguing that capitalism’s dual logic — expropriation and exploitation — is enabled by racialized social relations that compel refugees to participate in economic systems that marginalize them and push them to the peripheries of capitalism. Drawing on his work on refugee education, he illustrated how forced migration is not a crisis for global capitalism but rather essential to its survival. As the Global North continues to securitize its borders and profit from the externalization of migration, the global political economy thrives on the precarious conditions imposed on refugees.

What an inspiring start to a year of critical dialogue and new ideas at the Migration and Diaspora Studies Program! Through critical cross-disciplinary scholarship and open dialogue MDS fosters deeper understanding of movement and transnational settlement of people.

To learn more about the program and join the conversation by visiting Migration and Diaspora Studies – ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University

This event was in part supported by LERRN, Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.

Listen Below for the Full Conversation

By Abdi Bishar Bashir, York University, Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) Program

Executive Summary

This research investigates barriers to the implementation and provision of inclusive education for learners with disabilities in Hagadera Primary Schools. Inclusive education is an educational philosophy based on human rights and democratic principles that aim to address educational exclusion faced by learners with disabilities. Its implementation facilitates an education system that fits and responds to the need of all learners particularly, to those living with disabilities. As the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) implementing primary education in Hagadera camp are trying to provide inclusive education for all, overcoming barriers for learners with disabilities remains the most difficult challenge. This research seeks to better understand the barriers that not only hinder the implementation and provision of inclusive education, but specifically those that lead to the exclusion of learners with disabilities, particularly to those with hearing, vision, and physical impairments.

The paper employs a qualitative research design conducting semi-structured interviews for three learners with disabilities and an administrative teacher. The semi-structured questions are guided by the intensive understanding of barriers to the implementation and provision of inclusive education while also addressing some tangible solutions. Findings explore that insufficient teaching and learning resources, exacerbated by the disability-unfriendly environment, ignited the negative attitudes of learners with disabilities and contributed to their discrimination in the classroom and elsewhere. The findings also acknowledged the need to enhance public awareness and sensitization of educational rights of persons with disabilities.

View the full LERRN Working Paper Series here:

DOI

Citation

Bashir, A. B. (2025). Barriers to Inclusive Education For Learners With Disabilities in Primary Schools in Hagadera Refugee Camp. Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN).

In 2003, the Centre for the Study of Forced Migration at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania conducted a study on the impacts of the presence of refugees in Northwestern Tanzania. LERRN is now sharing this detailed report in its original form to make it accessible to a broader audience and contribute to national and international debates on the impacts for host communities of hosting refugees.

At the time of writing, there were frequent claims by government officials and in the media that the presence of refugees had negative impacts for Tanzania. The Centre for the Study of Forced Migration undertook this study to examine the evidence for and against these claims, considering the impacts on security, environment, infrastructure, social services, local governance, and the economy. They found that while the arrival of refugees initially put strain on infrastructure and social services, over time humanitarian investments in roads, hospitals, education, and water have benefitted the local population. For example, at the time of writing, around 40,000 Tanzanians every year were receiving free medical treatment in the hospitals of the Kibondo refugee camps. The districts where refugees live have also made significant progress on primary education indicators. Overall, it appears the social service sector has benefited more than it has suffered due to the presence of refugees. There have been some negative impacts on security, the environment, and the local government, but investments by UNHCR and other donors have to some extent offset these negative impacts. For example, tree-planting programs have replaced trees that were cut down in connection with refugee operations. The presence of refugees has had a mixed economic impact.

This snapshot in time provides a detailed examination of the multi-faceted impacts of refugee hosting on local communities. The authors conclude with several recommendations to address the challenges and maximize the benefits of hosting refugees, including a call for more comprehensive support for Tanzania from the international community in recognition of the diverse impacts of hosting refugees.

To learn more about the history of hosting refugees in Tanzania, check  out also LERRN’s video series: 60 Years of Hosting Refugees: A Tanzanian Narrative.

Citation

Rutinwa, Bonaventure, and Khoti Kamanga. 2003. The Impact of the Presence of Refugees in North Western Tanzania. The Centre for the Study of Forced Migration, University of Dar es Salaam.

We are thrilled to share a new research study report published by our partner Center for Lebanese Studies (CLS).

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the knowledge production landscape in the field of refugee education, critically exploring how it continues to be shaped by colonial legacies and dominated by global north (GN) perspectives. Analysing the
English language and Arabic language academic literature on refugee education, the study investigates the power dynamics, economic interests, and ideological influences that sustain the divide between the global north and global south (GS) in this body of research. The findings reveal that the field of refugee education, despite its growth and diversification over the past two decades, remains profoundly unequal in terms of authorship, geographic focus, and the overall epistemological and ontological frameworks that underpin it.

Read the full report .

Introduction

Scholarship on refugee policy has grown substantially over the past decades, reflecting the increasing complexity of forced displacement and policy responses worldwide. This reflects the realization that state responses to refugees are not only shaped by legal and humanitarian considerations, but also by broader policy processes. It also invites deeper engagement with the field of policy studies and the insights it can offer to refugee and forced migration studies.

Refugee studies has long benefited from insights from different disciplines and, as forced displacement continues to pose complex governance challenges, it is crucial that the field maintains and expands this interdisciplinarity. Engaging with policy studies can advance scholarly analysis by shedding light on the institutions, actors, and ideas that shape refugee policy.

This paper examines the extent to which policy studies and refugee and forced migration studies have intersected in recent scholarship. In particular, it investigates how issues of refugee policy have been dealt with, looking into the theoretical and methodological approaches scholars employ.

The authors also explore what policy issues and themes are most prominent in recent research. Further, building on previous analyses conducted by LERRN, the paper also addresses key questions about which disciplines and institutions are shaping this subfield.

To explore these dynamics, the paper presents findings from a bibliometric and content analysis. By mapping key dimensions of refugee policy research, this study provides insights into the state of this subfield and highlights the potential for deeper cross-disciplinary engagement with policy studies

]]> /lerrn/2025/fieldwork-notes-research-with-migrant-and-refugee-leaders/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fieldwork-notes-research-with-migrant-and-refugee-leaders Thu, 17 Apr 2025 01:15:24 +0000 /lerrn/?p=10475 Takeaways From the Fieldwork in Chile and Colombia

by Constanza Lobos, Stephanie López Villamil

Panel: “Venezuelan refugees in Latin America: protection gaps� during the Global Refugee Forum 2023. In the photo: Fernanda Bedoya (El Derecho a No Obedecer), Roberto Blanco (Alianza VenCR), Robert Tigrera (Asociación Lluvia de Arcoiris), Lublanc Prieto (Refugees United)

As part of the project “The Politics and Process of Refugee Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of Factors Conditioning Refugee Leadership in Global South� our team of researchers from Colombia and Chile conducted fieldwork in both countries to understand the conditions that enable or constrain refugees to demonstrate leadership in navigating local, national and regional power structures to influence the development and implementation of policies and programs aimed at affecting their daily lives.

During the first semester of 2024, we approached Venezuelan and Haitian leaders in both countries to learn about their trajectories and experiences. We discussed their needs and expectations and the obstacles they have encountered in their paths for the meaningful participation of their communities and in carrying out advocacy processes. Methodologically, this involved approaching refugee and migrant leaders considering research ethics and the challenges to approach the different actors, including organizations, and associated institutions. In this blog, we will reflect on the main implications of doing research with refugee and migrant leaders from the global south.

Methodology design and first approaches to the field

One of the team’s first tasks was to approach refugee and migrant communities, leaders, and relevant actors by attending different events related to migration and refugees. We also collected secondary data that was very useful to build a contextual overview of the migration and refugee situations in Colombia and Chile. All of the above made it possible to do a mapping of actors that was key to understanding the realities of both countries and to select possible participants for the research.

A disadvantage in the Chilean case was that there were no official records of migrant and refugee organizations, so the mapping had to be built based on the knowledge of the research assistants in Chile and their involvement in different events through participant observation. In Colombia, both researchers leveraged their networks and previous collaborations with RLOs to recruit participants.

Another important challenge we faced in the case of Chile was the recent modifications of the political-legal context, with the enactment of a new migration law that modified the requirements and procedures for obtaining refugee status, as well as the presentation of different bills in Congress in a short period. This had an impact on the public political discourse in Chilean society, reinforcing a scenario of criminalization of migratory flows. We addressed this issue by developing various strategies to ensure respectful relationships with the participants and creating spaces of trust and security for both; us and them. Also, the collection of background information on the legal and political context allowed the team members to be aware of the situations that were occurring in Chile and to be informed when conducting interviews and focus groups.

While designing the data collection instruments for the fieldwork, a positive aspect was the collaborative creation of interview and focus group questions within the team. We considered relevant items for both the Chilean and Colombian cases. This allowed us to gain a broader perspective on the subject under investigation by contrasting elements of the context in each country and seeking commonalities and unique aspects of the experiences of migrant and refugee leaders.

Field data collection: obstacles, challenges, and achievements

Fieldwork was carried out between May and June 2024 in three cities: Bogotá, Riohacha, and Santiago. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) with Venezuelan and Haitian leaders, representatives of institutions related to migration and refugee issues, representatives of international organizations, and experts.

One of the main challenges in recruiting people at the beginning of the fieldwork was the distrust and lack of interest in the participation of community leaders in the regions of Chile, especially from the Haitian community. Some leaders expressed their concerns about “academic extractivism” and the risk of disregarding their voices when disseminating research results. To address this issue, we primarily relied on the established trust with researchers and established new platforms for open dialogue and collaboration to further strengthen this trust. Additionally, we informed the participants about the opportunity to engage in discussions about the findings and to be involved in the dissemination process, which piqued the interest of some participants.

The main challenge we encountered was the difficulty in getting leaders in Chile to participate in interviews or FGDs due to their busy schedules. Most of them have full-time jobs and work simultaneously in their organizations, leaving them with little time for extra activities. Additionally, the fieldwork in Chile coincided with the end of the first semester of the work/student year and the vacations of some interviewees and their children, leading to limited availability and the need to reschedule appointments. We sought to accommodate their availability of time and locations and be flexible with the proposed times. We agreed to conduct interviews and the focus group discussion after 6 p.m. so that they could participate.

In the case of Colombia, the main challenge was to elicit responses from state institutions and international organizations for the interviews. The solution was to seek out alternative individuals or organizations.

We encountered various challenges during our fieldwork in both countries, prompting us to consider new approaches for involving migrant and refugee leaders in the co-design and co-development of our research. We aimed to gather their perspectives on the situation and to build trust between researchers and participants or organizations. We believe that involving leaders in other stages of the research process could help us recruit more people, particularly from the Haitian community and among Haitian women, who were initially hesitant to participate.

Takeaways from our fieldwork in Chile and Colombia

The fieldwork in South America provided valuable lessons for both the team and the participants. These are our key takeaways:

• Establishing strong and trusting relationships with communities, organizations, and authorities is essential for effectively involving them in the co-design process from the outset of the research. This will help ensure that the research objectives and outcomes have a meaningful and beneficial impact on the communities involved.
• Building trust with the participants and developing collaborative proposals for future work. Leaders expressed their interest in continued involvement in the research, such as writing articles or academic blogs, and other forms of collaboration beyond the initial interview.
• Gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics within the communities we intend to investigate, such as gender and age relations, and power structures. This understanding could help us establish stronger connections and determine effective ways to engage with different communities, such as the Haitian community.
• Collaborating continuously with leaders to discuss the research results and involve them in various dissemination activities. Many leaders appreciated being asked about their needs, which is a significant outcome of the research, especially in contexts where information on this topic is scarce or non-existent.
• Listening to migrant and refugee leaders is crucial for any research, integrating their voices into debates, disseminating the results, and creating opportunities for dialogue with authorities and experts.

Para la versión en español, desplácese hasta la parte inferior de esta página.

On April 03, 2025, the Local Refugee Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) co-hosted a webinar with to present and discuss findings from the R-SEAT Assessment Report titled, Meaningful Refugee Participation at the Global Refugee Forum 2023. Drawing from the report’s findings, panelists engaged in a robust conversation surrounding refugee participation at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF) and explored the implications from these efforts as a point of preparation for the upcoming High-Level Officials Meeting (HLOM) in December 2025. The webinar attracted over 250 participants from 34 countries. James Milner, Project Director of LERRN, served as the moderator for the discussion and opened the webinar by emphasizing the importance of accountability, shifting power dynamics, and effectiveness in policy spaces, and encouraging participants to recognize both the moral and practical benefits of meaningful refugee participation.

Rez Gardi, Co-Managing Director of R-SEAT, presented key findings from the report, which assessed the quality of refugee participation at the 2023 GRF.   The report highlighted a significant surge in refugee participation, with numbers increasing from 72 refugee participants at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum to 328 in 2023.  Yet while participation increased in numbers, challenges remain in ensuring that this engagement is meaningful. Gardi stressed that in the current context of rising anti-refugee sentiment, intensifying displacement crises, and funding challenges, ensuring meaningful participation matters more than ever. She urged to embrace meaningful refugee participation as a cornerstone of refugee policy:

“In these uncertain times, refugee participation must remain front and centre, when refugee are involved in shaping the solutions, these solutions are more effective, more sustainable, and more grounded in the realities that we face everyday.�

Ana Valle, Honorary President of Asociacion de Nicaragüenses en Mexico, shared her experiences with  and her involvement in the Global Legal Community Pledge. She highlighted how the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees, though a non-binding legal instrument for refugee protection in Latin America, foments solidarity, asylum and cooperation in the region. On the 40^th anniversary of the Cartagena Declaration, Latin American and Caribbean states adopted in December 2024 the . A coalition of over 150 refugee-led organizations in the Latin America region, known as GARLOS, actively participated in the Cartagena +40 process leading up to the adoption of the Chile Declaration and Plan of Action. Ana emphasized that meaningful participation should continue in the region beyond the Cartagena +40 process and it  should be the norm rather than the exception. She further stressed that the recognition of knowledge and expertise of all stakeholders, including refugees themselves, is essential for progress in the field.

John Jal Dak, Director of Youth Social Advocacy Team (YSAT) and member of the UNHCR Advisory Board, outlined the Board’s multifaceted role in advising UNHCR on policy development and implementation. Dak reflected on the improved representation at the 2023 GRF while expressing concerns that refugees should not be part of global refugee policy events just for the sake of numbers, underscoring the need for substantive inclusion versus tokenistic participation. Looking ahead to the HLOM, Dak highlighted the need to address practical barriers such as funding limitations and visa restrictions that prevent many refugee leaders from attending global meetings.

Nejra Sumic, Senior National Field Manager for We Are All America and member of the US Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB), shared her experience as a refugee advisor within a state delegation. Sumic offered three concrete recommendations for improving refugee participation in state delegations:

1. States should establish better and more efficient communication systems with refugee advisory mechanisms, including timely onboarding processes, clear expectations, and post-event debriefing sessions.
2. Ensure substantive integration of refugee advisors into state delegations by creating opportunities for them to play integral roles in speaking, moderating, and participating in meetings.
3. Ensure refugee voices are heard and have tangible influence by providing opportunities for them to contribute to the delegations’ work, speak at plenary sessions, and help craft national statements and pledges.

Looking to the future, Sumic emphasized that

“We need to strive to see refugee participation as a standard practice rather than a symbolic gesture, where we see systemic inclusion and it involves continued engagement and ongoing dialogue during the GRF but also post GRF�

Ryan Figueiredo, Executive Director and Founder of the Equal Asia Foundation, discussed how to link work between local, regional and global levels. He framed his insights and the work involving refugee participation around three words: recognition, resources, and representation, stressing that refugee-led organizations need to be seen as equal partners and not only service providers or story tellers. Figueiredo emphasized that connections across different levels cannot happen without full recognition and that grassroots organizations need to be treated as equitable contributors to regional and global policy, rather than an afterthought in the process. He further advocated for shifting from viewing refugees through a deficit lens to an asset-based perspective in order to reframe the conversation on refugee participation, asking:

“What if we begin to see the brilliance, resilience, the leadership, the innovation that refugee communities, especially LGBTQI+ that face multiple intersecting vulnerabilities, bring to the table?�

Figueiredo explained that asset framing seeks to see people for their strengths and aspirations before noting their challenges and vulnerabilities, representing a refusal to reduce people to problems and ensuring that refugees’ stories go beyond their pain and rather be centered in hope, dignity, and power.

The Q&A session focused on the core challenges and opportunities in achieving meaningful refugee participation, including tokenism, lack of authentic engagement, and the need to recognize lived experience as expertise. Panelists stressed the importance of trust, accessible formats like hybrid meetings, and moving beyond symbolic involvement to structured processes of listening and implementation. Refugee participation was framed as a justice issue essential for effective, responsive policy.

In closing, the discussion highlighted the need for stronger collaboration, local leadership, the establishment of refugee advisory boards in every country, and inclusive spaces where displaced individuals, including LGBTQI+ refugees, can lead with purpose and dignity.

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En Español

El 3 de abril de 2025, la Local Refugee Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) coorganizó un seminario web con para presentar y debatir las conclusiones del informe  de R-SEAT titulado  la Participación significativa de los refugiados en el Foro Mundial sobre los Refugiados 2023. Basándose en las conclusiones del informe, los panelistas entablaron un intenso debate sobre la participación de los refugiados en el Foro Mundial sobre los Refugiados (GRF por sus siglas en Ingles) en el 2023 y exploraron las implicaciones de estos esfuerzos como punto de preparación para la próxima Reunión de Oficiales de Alto Nivel (HLOM por sus siglas en ingles) en diciembre de 2025. El seminario web atrajo a más de 250 participantes de 34 países. James Milner, Director de Proyectos de LERRN, como moderador del debate, inauguró el seminario haciendo hincapié en la importancia de la rendición de cuentas, el cambio necesario de las dinámicas de poder y la eficacia en los espacios políticos, y animando a los participantes a reconocer los beneficios morales y prácticos de una participación significativa de los refugiados.

Rez Gardi, co-directora gerente de R-SEAT, presentó las principales conclusiones del informe, que evaluaba la calidad de la participación de los refugiados en el   GRF de 2023.   El informe destacó un aumento significativo de la participación de los refugiados, que pasó de 72 participantes en el Foro Mundial  sobre los Refugiados de 2019 a 328 en 2023.  Sin embargo, aunque el número de participantes ha aumentado, sigue habiendo problemas para garantizar que esta participación sea significativa. Gardi subrayó que, en el contexto actual de un aumento del sentimiento antirrefugiados, la intensificación de las crisis de desplazamiento y las dificultades de financiación, garantizar una participación significativa es más importante que nunca. Instó a adoptar la participación significativa de los refugiados como un  beneficio  a la política de refugiados:

“En estos tiempos de incertidumbre, la participación de los refugiados debe seguir siendo prioritaria; cuando los refugiados participan en la elaboración de las soluciones, éstas son más eficaces, más sostenibles y están más basadas en las realidades a las que nos enfrentamos cada día.”

Ana Valle , Presidenta Honoraria de la Asociación de Nicaragüenses en México, compartió sus experiencias con y su participación en el Compromiso Global de la Comunidad Legal. Destacó cómo la Declaración de Cartagena sobre los Refugiados, a pesar de ser un instrumento jurídico no vinculante para la protección de los refugiados en América Latina, fomenta la solidaridad, el asilo y la cooperación en la región. En el 40^º aniversario de la Declaración de Cartagena, los Estados de América Latina y el Caribe adoptaron en diciembre de 2024 la . Una coalición de más de 150 organizaciones lideradas por refugiados en la región de América Latina, conocida como GARLOS, participó activamente en el proceso de Cartagena +40 que condujo a la adopción de la Declaración y Plan de Acción de Chile. Ana hizo hincapié en que la participación significativa debe continuar en la región más allá del proceso de Cartagena +40 y debe ser la norma y no la excepción. Además, subrayó que el reconocimiento de los conocimientos y la experiencia de todas las partes interesadas, incluidos los propios refugiados, como esencial para avanzar en este ámbito. es esencial para avanzar en este ámbito.

John Jal Dak, Director del Youth Social Advocacy Team (YSAT) y miembro de la Junta Consultiva de Refugiados al  ACNUR, describió el papel polifacético de la Junta a la hora de asesorar al ACNUR sobre el desarrollo y la aplicación de políticas. Dak reflexionó sobre la mejora de la representación en el GRFde 2023, al tiempo que expresó su preocupación por el hecho de que los refugiados no deberían formar parte de los eventos mundiales sobre política de refugiados por el mero hecho de ser números, subrayando la necesidad de una inclusión sustantiva frente a una participación simbólica. De cara al HLOM, Dak destacó la necesidad de abordar obstáculos prácticos como las limitaciones de financiación y las restricciones de visado que impiden a muchos líderes de refugiados asistir a las reuniones mundiales.

Nejra Sumic, Senior National Field Manager en We Are All America y miembro del US Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB), compartió su experiencia como asesora de refugiados en una delegación estatal oficial. Sumic ofreció tres recomendaciones concretas para mejorar la participación de los refugiados en las delegaciones estatales:

1. Los Estados deben establecer mejores y más eficaces sistemas de comunicación  con los mecanismos de asesoramiento de refugiados, que incluyan procesos de incorporación oportunos, expectativas claras y sesiones informativas posteriores a los acontecimientos.
2. Garantizar la integración sustantiva de los asesores refugiados en las delegaciones estatales creando oportunidades para que desempeñen un papel integral en las intervenciones, la moderación y la participación en las reuniones.
3. Garantizar que las voces de los refugiados se oigan y tengan una influencia tangible ofreciéndoles oportunidades de contribuir al trabajo de las delegaciones, intervenir en las sesiones plenarias y ayudar a elaborar declaraciones y compromisos nacionales.

De cara al futuro, Sumic subrayó que:

“Tenemos que esforzarnos por ver la participación de los refugiados como una práctica habitual y no como un gesto simbólico, en la que veamos una inclusión sistémica y que implique un compromiso continuo y un diálogo permanente durante el GRF, pero también después del GRF “

Ryan Figueiredo, Director Ejecutivo y Fundador de la Fundación Equal Asia, habló de cómo vincular el trabajo entre los niveles local, regional y mundial. Enmarcó sus ideas y el trabajo relacionado con la participación de los refugiados en torno a tres palabras: reconocimiento, recursos y representación, subrayando que las organizaciones dirigidas por refugiados deben ser consideradas socios en pie de igualdad y no sólo proveedores de servicios o narradores de historias. Figueiredo hizo hincapié en que las conexiones entre los distintos niveles no pueden producirse sin un reconocimiento pleno y que las organizaciones de base deben ser tratadas como contribuyentes equitativos a la política regional y mundial, en lugar de ser una idea tardía en el proceso. Además, abogó por pasar de una visión deficitaria de los refugiados a una perspectiva basada en las ganancias , con el fin de replantear el debate sobre la participación de los refugiados:

“¿Y si empezamos a ver la brillantez, la resiliencia, el liderazgo y la innovación que aportan las comunidades de refugiados, especialmente las LGBTQI+ que se enfrentan a múltiples vulnerabilidades cruzadas?”.

Figueiredo explicó que el “asset framing� trata de ver a las personas por sus fortalezas y aspiraciones antes de señalar sus retos y vulnerabilidades, lo que representa un rechazo a reducir a las personas a problemas y garantizar que las historias de los refugiados vayan más allá de su dolor y se centren más bien en la esperanza, la dignidad y el poder.

La sesión de preguntas y respuestas se centró en los principales retos y oportunidades para lograr una participación significativa de los refugiados, como el simbolismo, la falta de compromiso auténtico y la necesidad de reconocer la experiencia vivida como pericia. Los panelistas subrayaron la importancia de la confianza, de formatos accesibles como las reuniones híbridas, y de ir más allá de la participación simbólica hacia procesos estructurados . La participación de los refugiados se enmarcó como una cuestión de justicia esencial para una política eficaz y receptiva.

Para concluir, el  seminario  puso de relieve la necesidad de una mayor colaboración, liderazgo local, la creación de consejos consultivos de refugiados en todos los países y espacios inclusivos en los que las personas desplazadas, incluidos los refugiados LGBTQI+, puedan actuar con determinación y dignidad.