Contact details

Submitted by: Dr. Silvia Morgenroth, Head of Division 221, Tackling the root causes of displacement, Partnership for Prospects

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.bmz.de/en

Social: @BMZ_Bund

Introduction to the project 

Country

Global: 50 countries in Africa, Middle East, Europe, Asia, Latin America

Duration

2014 - Ongoing

Description

The Special Initiative entitled ‘Tackling the Root Causes of Displacement, (Re)integrating Refugees’ (in short: Special Initiative Forced Displacement) was launched in 2014. It complements BMZ’s traditional approach to bilateral development cooperation and enables us to deliver a rapid and targeted response to displacement situations, providing support to displaced populations and host countries or communities. In both acute and protracted crises, our goal is to improve the living conditions of people on the ground and broaden up opportunities for them whether they stay in the host community or return to their country of origin.

All our projects are guided by the ‘do no harm’ principle. With a view to preventing further conflicts, BMZ supports host communities as well as forcibly displaced persons alike. 

A wide range of stakeholders implements the projects, which include financial as well as technical support. In line with GCR’s call for improved collaboration and coordination, partnerships have been established with UN organizations to multiply the impact of the Special Initiative.

Geographically, the initiative focuses on the Middle East and on Eastern and Central Africa, but we also work in other regions, for example in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Colombia, Ecuador or Ukraine.

Main activities of the Good Practice

The main areas of intervention of the Special Initiative are:

• Support for refugees, internally displaced people and returnees
• Stabilization of host regions
• Mitigation of causes of forced displacement

The Special Initiative addresses multiple areas in need of support identified in the GCR: it contributes to the improvement of infrastructure, access to education and vocational education and training, employment promotion, improved access to water, health and shelter. BMZ also supports activities for peace and reconciliation as well as mediation and mental health and psycho-social support. The Special Initiative contributes to the improvement of living conditions of displaced populations and their host communities as well as the social cohesion in the host country and region. Special attention is paid to supporting women and girls and ensuring gender equality.

In March 2016, as part of the Special Initiative, we launched our flagship Partnership for Prospects initiative in the Middle East. This involves creating job opportunities that allow refugees to earn a living based on ‘cash-for-work’ activities. Typically, cash-for-work jobs involve municipal services such as collecting waste, recycling, and building and improving roads, homes and schools. Partnership for Prospects also funds the salaries of additional teachers and health care workers. For more information, see our separate and more detailed good practice on the Partnership for Prospects.

Partners

• Aproximately 50 partner countries
• UN organisations
• NGOs
• German implementing agencies

Challenges and how they were overcome

The challenges involved in addressing forced displacement will no doubt remain with us for the foreseeable future. This creates huge demands in terms of development policy, especially when it comes to improving the prospects of those on the ground who are worst affected. As well as the Middle East, we are planning to strengthen our focus on East and Central Africa. We will also invest more in prevention and infrastructure measures and increase the funding available for mental health and psycho-social support.

There is still a great deal of scope for boosting employment in the Middle East through Partnership for Prospects. In 2019, the Partnership also intends to invest in measures to create long-term jobs.

Results of the Good Practice 

The Special Initiative has benefited roughly 9.6 million people since 2014 through approximately 200 projects in 50 countries.

Here are a few snapshots of results:

• Education for one million children and youth
• Clean water and sanitary facilities for 2,7 million people
• Improved healthcare for more than 600.000 people
• Psycho-social support for more than 90.000 people
• Vocational education and training for approximately 330.000 people, employment promotion for 170.000 people.
• In addition: 242.000 jobs through the Partnership for Prospects.