GAIN Research Webinar Series: Translating academic research into effective responses to forced displacement

Recordings of the session are available at the bottom of this page.

The Global Compact on Refugees, adopted in December 2018 by the UN General Assembly specifies that “a global academic network on refugee, other forced displacement, and statelessness issues will be established, involving universities, academic alliances, and research institutions, together with UNHCR and other relevant stakeholders.” (para 43). Launched at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum, the Global Academic Interdisciplinary Network (GAIN) facilitates specific deliverables on three objectives:

1. Research in support of the four objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees: i) ease the pressures on host countries; ii) enhance refugee self-reliance; iii) expand access to third-country solutions; iv) support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity.
2. Teaching training and knowledge sharing to advance knowledge sharing  by refugee, forced displacement and statelessness issues
3. Solidarity of the academic community with forcibly displaced scholars and students through concrete support (e.g. scholarships) and provide platform to showcase Refugee emerging scholars studies/ methods /approach towards Academic  Research

With a view to supporting objective 1, researchers and academics across the world became part of the network and have been conducting remarkable research on forced displacement and statelessness issues. This webinar series will spotlight key academic findings that can support policy makers decision-making processes to improve the lives of persons of concern to UNHCR and host communities.

Through this webinar series, academics aim to support Global Refugee Compact (GCR) stakeholders in making evidence-based decisions and policies based on reliable, independent research conducted by academics and persons with lived experience of forced displacement that are part of the network. Academic views and outputs presented at the webinar are completely independent shall not be attributed to UNHCR, nor to GAIN.

Key donors and supporters discussed the importance of producing actionable and relevant research that is led, co-designed and co-implemented with persons of concern to UNHCR to increase the effectiveness and ultimate impact of humanitarian and development interventions in forced displacement contexts.

This virtual event was divided into two webinars hosted by PHAP and open to the public. Researchers were given 10 minutes to present their findings and their presentations were followed by interactive discussions and question and answers sessions with the audience. Interpretation was be available in the 6 UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, English, Spanish and Russian).

Session 1: The transformative potential of inclusive and localized refugee and forced displacement research 

Session 2: Urbanisation: Refugee Economics and Access to Essential Services