Building Resilient Futures: Why investing in economic opportunity for conflict-affected populations is more important than ever

?David Miliband, CEO and President of the International Rescue Committee??

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With 100 million people displaced worldwide today, including more than 34 million refugees and over 62 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), the IRC’s work is more important than ever. The majority of displaced people live in urban settings and as they resettle people affected by humanitarian continue to struggle with high rates of unemployment, social stigmatization and difficulties integrating into their new communities.???

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As displaced people settle into their new communities, the first priorities are often feeding their families and finding a safe place to live. But we must also think about how to improve livelihoods opportunities for long-term economic wellbeing. For refugees and IDPs experiencing forced displacement, their experiences are becoming increasingly protracted, with displacement lasting 20 years on average for refugees and 10 years on average for most IDPs.???

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We also know that despite arriving with a wealth of experience and qualifications, people who have been displaced by conflict and crisis struggle to find jobs and secure legal status. IRC research shows that refugees welcome the agency, flexibility and economic opportunity that entrepreneurship offers. With refugees having a higher entrepreneurship rate than other types of immigrants, investing in refugees makes good business sense too. Moreover, when companies choose to employ refugees, they have the opportunity to leverage their unique knowledge, talent and skills whilst supporting them to re-establish and grow their careers.??

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For someone rebuilding their life after a crisis, economic empowerment initiatives can be a lifeline, providing independence, income and a chance to contribute to their community. That’s why the IRC’s Resilient Futures program, which was made possible with support from the Citi Foundation, has been providing refugees and displaced people with support to help people start and grow their own businesses and develop the skills they need to get jobs in local labor markets for the past seven years.???

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Launched in 2017, Resilient Futures is focused on empowering people rebuilding their lives in cities around the world and provides program participants with the tools they need to become active participants in local labor markets, pursue self-employment and entrepreneurship and positively contribute to local economies. To date, Resilient Futures has reached more than 6,500 individuals in six countries across Europe, East Africa and the Middle East.???

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Seven years on from the launch of Resilient Futures, we have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of livelihoods interventions in some of the world’s most challenging contexts. In reflecting on Resilient Futures’ successes, four key recommendations for businesses, policymakers and practitioners focused on creating long-term economic wellbeing for refugees and displaced people emerged:??

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• Assess the local context: Through establishing an ongoing practice of assessing the local economic environment, practitioners can understand the relative opportunities associated with employment versus entrepreneurship and self-employment in the local context. By understanding the holistic needs of local populations, implementers can ensure adjacent needs such as access to social capital and networking, mentorship and mental health support are used to support economic empowerment initiatives.???
• Invest in research: Research and evidence generation enables stakeholders to understand the costs and impacts of specific economic opportunity interventions over the short and long-term. As our world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, investing in research that explores access and usage patterns of technology-enabled programming and services is key.???
• Fund multi-location, multi-year solutions: Funding investments focused on multi-location, multi-year projects allow implementing teams the space to respond to changing contexts and create impact at scale. Multi-location, multi-year commitments also enable the creation of evidence-based approaches that can deliver sustainable impacts.???
• Engage with diverse stakeholders: For policymakers, engaging with diverse stakeholders can highlight whether there are specific aspects of the labor market or small business regulation policies that create inequitable access for vulnerable populations. In regional contexts where local governments are providing services to conflict-affected populations, engaging at the local level can provide an understanding of regulations that program participants may need to be aware of before starting a business or registering for employment permits.??

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By combining the IRC’s technical expertise with resources in 花旗 and the Citi Foundation’s global network, we’ve supported thousands of tomorrow’s business owners and employees to kick-start their futures.? But we can only continue to scale this work through continued investment in livelihoods programs for some of the world’s most marginalized people in the hardest to reach places.???

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Today, the IRC’s new report “Resilient Futures: Building Towards Economic Resilience for Conflict-Affected Populations” urges innovative solutions borne from seven years of Resilient Futures. We need smart, long-term initiatives like Resilient Futures to stop crisis and conflict preventing people from reaching their full potential and to help create impact at scale for those rebuilding their lives in cities across the globe.???

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