ICMPD organises an information session for prospective applicants on Monday, 06 May 2024 at 10:00 am Vienna local time. An overview of the application and evaluation procedure as well as an introduction to the objectives of the Call for Proposals will be given.Prospective applicants can register for webinar here or by expressing their interest via email to [email protected] latest by Friday, 03 May 2024 at 17:00 pm Vienna local time, or register for the webinar following the sign up link.

The Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) 2024 is an annual humanitarian conference, one of the largest events of its kind and will be held in a hybrid format from 29 April to 10 May 2024. This event provides a collaborative space for practitioners and experts from a large variety of humanitarian stakeholders including UN agencies, NGOs, the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, academia, the military, private sector initiatives, and Member States.  There is no attendance fee. Learn more here.  IOM crisis simulation workshop: Coordinating with diaspora humanitarian actors While diaspora actors have long contributed in various forms to humanitarian response efforts in their respective Countries of Origin (CoOs), most of this involvement has historically been ad hoc. These contributions include contextual knowledge, local connections, quick mobilization, financial support, and volunteers. The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Framework for Diaspora Engagement in Humanitarian Assistance and its accompanying Crisis Response Guidance are examples of coordination mechanisms that international humanitarian actors and diaspora organizations have developed and implemented to better integrate and engage non-traditional actors in humanitarian responses. IOM's Framework was developed through a multi-stakeholder consultation process, and it has been used in Haiti, the Philippines and Somalia. This interactive simulation workshop is designed to test these mechanisms focusing on the interoperability of institutional humanitarian actors with diaspora organizations coordinating assistance during a simulated crisis. The exercise will also explore the level of cooperation that humanitarian actors, both traditional and non-traditional, might expect from one another. It is anticipated that participants will leave the session with useful tools for organizing their humanitarian efforts, a better knowledge of the processes involved in multi-stakeholder coordination, and a wider range of contacts and resources to help communities affected by disasters experience more long-term, lasting effects. Furthermore, the input and feedback received from the attendees' participation will help to improve the mechanisms so that they can be used in other situations. The overall scope of this session will be to apply the mechanisms for strengthening the engagement of diaspora in humanitarian operations by: - Presenting tools, response mechanisms and guidelines to enhance coordination between institutional humanitarian actors and diasporas, explaining who can benefit, when and where it is applicable, and how this can lead to more collaborative and effective humanitarian assistance - Conducting an interactive exercise where the participants apply IOM’s crisis response guideline to a simulated crisis scenario to facilitate coordination with diaspora and other non-traditional actors - Discussing lessons learned from the activity   Photo credit: Unsplash/Ammar Nassir

Find us at stand 23! Join us to hear more about our global initiative, our engagement with diaspora and local actors and get our latest research and factsheets on the Somali, Afghan and Ukrainian diaspora.  DEMAC's session on May 8th: diaspora's role in responding to climate disasters and supporting the resilience of local communities to environmental degradation This session will be organized in hybrid format. You can follow online  In 2023 DEMAC in partnership with IOM conducted a case study to explore how diaspora respond to climate-induced disasters and support community resilience and adaptation to environmental degradation in South Sudan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Peru and Tuvalu. The main patterns and trends are the following: 1.     Case study diaspora actors were important in supporting longer term adaptation. Some are supporting climate-smart agricultural practices, income diversification, housing adaptation, internal relocation. 2.    DOs contribute to climate change mitigation efforts through awareness raising, advocacy, and direct involvement in carbon removal projects, encompassing tree planting and more. 3.    DO responses were strongest in the context of disaster response and recovery. Disasters triggered a substantial response from DOs, with charity, religion, and patriotism among motivators. 4.   DOs can share information & complement technology used for predicting disasters, anticipatory action and early warning efforts usually led by governments and institutional actors. Objectives of this session:  1. Present findings and lessons learned from the DEMAC and IOM Case Study “Diaspora Response to Climate change-related hazards in South Sudan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Peru and Tuvalu” – DEMAC/IOM - February 2024 2. Discuss feasible steps that enable an improved engagement between diaspora organisations, local organisations and institutional humanitarian actors in preparing and responding to climate change-related hazards (CCRHs): - What are the challenges for diaspora and humanitarian actors to collaborate and jointly address h CCRHs? - What best practices and lessons learned from diaspora initiatives could institutional humanitarian actors draw on to support community-based disaster preparedness and risk reduction initiatives? - What actionable recommendations can be easily implemented to strengthen engagement and cooperation between diaspora organizations, local and institutional humanitarian actors in addressing CCRHs? Agenda: 11:00 – 11:10: Welcome and Introduction  11:10 – 11:20: Presentation of key findings of the Case Study 11:20 – 12:05: Facilitated discussion with the panelists 12:05 – 12:25: Q&A and discussion Meet the panelist!  Adriana Delgado: A native of Perú, Adriana holds an Anthropologist degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and a Master of Science degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She has more than 20 years experience in strategic design and management of integrated community development, education, gender and human rights programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. She is currently Deputy Director of Help Perú, in charge of the development, monitoring and evaluation of projects, the provision of technical assistance and capacity building to program partners. Daniel Manyang Mayen Mading: Daniel comes from a background of political science from the University of Juba in South Sudan and works as a researcher in the Sudd Institute, a leading independent research organization on public policy in the country, where he conducted timely studies on the policies South Sudan government in response to the spread COVID-19. Daniel contributed to DEMAC’s report on diaspora’s role in climate disaster response as the lead researcher for the case study in South Sudan. Stay tuned for out next speakers!   Photo Credit: Uganda (c) Unplash/Bill Wegener

The Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) 2024 is an annual humanitarian conference, one of the largest events of its kind and will be held in a hybrid format from 29 April to 10 May 2024. This event provides a collaborative space for practitioners and experts from a large variety of humanitarian stakeholders including UN agencies, NGOs, the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, academia, the military, private sector initiatives, and Member States.  There is no attendance fee. Learn more here.  IOM session: Strengthening mapping capacities and coordination of humanitarian assistance with diaspora organizations The impact of diaspora contributions goes far beyond remittances because they give affected communities a lifeline before, during, and after disasters by sending medical missions, sharing skills, strengthening infrastructure, providing medicine for sick family members, and coming up with creative solutions to close gaps in the responses of traditional humanitarian actors. Through their grasp of local cultural contexts and ability to meet urgent needs, diaspora organizations are uniquely positioned to empower local communities. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has created several tools, such as a Diaspora Mapping Toolkit and a diaspora repository, to strategically and effectively engage with diaspora communities worldwide to maximize their potential across the humanitarian-development nexus. In this hands-on workshop, attendees will learn how to apply these tools to a particular scenario in preparation for a crisis. Participants will need to bring a laptop to actively participate in the exercise. After the event, participants will have a comprehensive strategy and a set of useful tools to identify and collaborate with diaspora organizations within sectors, thematic areas, or contexts. The overall scope of the session will be to: - Introduce IOM’s Mapping Toolkit and other associated tools for diaspora engagement - Discuss lessons learned from the activity. - Conduct a practical exercise to apply the tools and develop concrete mapping plans to reach out and engage diaspora humanitarian actors in a particular setting focusing on preparedness    Photo credit: Unsplash/GeoJango Maps

Since 2020, the Global Diaspora Virtual Exchanges stand as a unique and crucial platform, facilitating the global convergence of diasporas to exchange best practices and collaboratively enhance their engagement, empowerment, and enablement. This initiative serves as a catalyst, empowering diaspora leaders and organizations to actively contribute to development endeavors.  In the past three editions, the Global Diaspora Virtual Exchanges have underscored the increasingly crucial role of diaspora leaders and organizations as pivotal contributors to development and humanitarian efforts. In 2020, diasporas demonstrated their swift and effective response to the pandemic. Shifting focus in 2021, their efforts centered on providing concrete advice to address three key challenges: building trust, mobilizing resources, and ensuring sustainability. The dialogue in 2023 revolved around discussing strategies to enhance communication skills in project management.  These dialogues, engaging diaspora leaders, policymakers, academics, and youth, have been instrumental in establishing an ecosystem aimed at maximizing diaspora engagement. Partnerships forged during these exchanges have facilitated the sharing of best practices, the provision of specific guidance, the expansion of impact through connections, and the amplification of voices for diaspora initiatives, including the founding of the Global Diaspora Confederation (GDC). Nonetheless, the importance of further strengthening and deepening partnerships between diasporas and other key actors continues to recur as key element in the evolution of diaspora engagement globally.  The establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform aligns closely with the foundational principles outlined in the Dublin Declaration, the outcome document of the Global Diaspora Summit, as well as the insights gathered from the discussions during the Global Diaspora Week 2023, organized by the GDC, and focused on diaspora partnerships. Building on these conversations and conclusions, the Global Diaspora Virtual Exchanges will delve deeper into partnerships between diaspora leaders and various key stakeholder groups. These groups include the public sector, both at national and local levels, the private sector, and collaborations among diaspora organizations. Each session is designed to explore effective and ineffective aspects of collaboration within each type, aiming to unlock the full potential of diaspora contributions to development and humanitarian efforts. The objective is to align seamlessly with the vision outlined in the Dublin Declaration, striving for impactful and sustainable outcomes. This alignment is achieved through the strategic harnessing of collective diaspora strength and expertise.  Global Diaspora Virtual Exchange consists of a series of three sessions in April, May and June. Learn more about future exchanges and register here.