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Entrepreneurship for Migrants and Refugees
The adoption of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in 2015 represents a renewed commitment in world partnership for tackling persistent challenges faced by humanity, involving developed and developing countries alike; therefore, all the objectives and goals of this instrument benefit society as a whole, while seeking to realize Human Rights of all because of their integrated and indivisible nature that balances the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental. Within this framework, there has been recognized the need of international cooperation to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration involving full respect for human rights and the humane treatment of migrants regardless of migration status, of refugees and of displaced persons as well as their positive contribution for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
This historic inclusion represents a response to large flows in different parts of the world, which have also motivated the adoption of the New York Declaration in 2016, by requiring two collaborative instruments – a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, and a global compact on refugees; both adopted in 2018 emphasize the issue of socioeconomic integration of migrants and refugees, including through support to self-employment and entrepreneurship. They are based on the premise that migrants and refugees can contribute positively to the development of communities back at home or in their new places of residence, provided that their skills, capabilities and entrepreneurial spirit – often acquired in migration – are given sufficient support and recognition.
Following these developments and to respond to a growing policy need for a common approach to promoting the socioeconomic inclusion of migrants and refugees that recognizes their contribution to development, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have brought together their technical expertise and practical knowledge to collaboratively developed a Policy Guide on Entrepreneurship for Migrants and Refugees, published in 2018. In order to complement this endeavour, UNCTAD, UNCHR and OIM have joined efforts with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to develop the e-learning course Entrepreneurship for Migrants and Refugees.
This e-learning course aims at strengthening the competences required by policymakers and practitioners for overcoming some of the challenges on economic and social inclusion for migrants and refugees while understanding the benefits of promoting entrepreneurship to this end because of its nexus to sustainable development. At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• Describe different benefits of promoting entrepreneurship for migrants and refugees and its impact on sustainable development.
• Identify the challenges faced by migrant and refugee entrepreneurs.
• Recognise policy objectives and policy options.
• Identify ways to support entrepreneurship among migrants and refugees in both developed and developing countries.
• Relate case studies and good practices from policies, programmes and initiatives in both developed and developing countries.
Module 1: Close up on migrant and refugee entrepreneurship
• Introductionmigrants, refugees and entrepreneurship
• Supporting entrepreneurship among migrants and refugees: benefits and opportunities
• Migrant and refugee entrepreneurship: barriers and challenges
Module 2: Orientation for planning
• Formulating a cohesive strategy on migrant and refugee entrepreneurship
Module 3: Creation of adequate conditions for migrant and refugee entrepreneurship
• Optimizing the regulatory environment
• Facilitating technology exchange and innovative start/ups
• Improving access to finance
Module 4: Knowledge empowerment on migrant and refugee entrepreneurship
• Enhancing entrepreneurial education and skill development
• Promoting awareness and Networking
Module 5: Good practices in the field to promote migrant and refugee entrepreneurship
• Case study insights for practitioners
The course is based on UNITAR’s sound adult learning pedagogical principles. Each module includes readings, self-assessment activities and quizzes. The learning activities are distributed in such a way to ensure the achievement of the learning objectives in a flexible manner.
The course is designed for supporting policymakers and practitioners from both developed and developing countries.
This course, with a duration of 5 weeks, will start on 2 March 2020.
Access the course concept note.