International Labour Organisation has charged governments to create employment for refugees and host communities as a way of protecting them and making them self-reliant.
In a statement, ILO made the call at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum held recently.
The forum is held every four years, and it is the world’s largest international gathering on refugees.
The forum is designed to support the practical implementation of the objectives set out in the Global Compact on Refugees.
In mid-2023, there were 110 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, 36.4 million of whom were refugees. Delegates at the forum stressed the importance of tackling the growing global displacement crisis by linking humanitarian actions with a development and peace-building approach,” ILO said.
According to ILO, a key outcome of the meeting was a Multistakeholder Pledge on Economic Inclusion and Social Protection, led by the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative that brought together Denmark, Germany, Mexico, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the USA, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Eastern Africa.
As a technical co-convener, the ILO supported the Pledge members in creating supportive environments through legal and policy reforms and implementation.
ILO also emphasized the need to address the challenges encountered by women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
At the forum, the ILO presented portraits from prospects, visualising change in host and refugee communities.
