More information
Description
Project "Partnership for Sustainable Refugee Inclusion" aims to enhance skills of refugee communities representatives, including Ukrainian for recognition of the institutional environment and access points to the decision-making system in Bulgaria. Partners in the project are Centre for Sustainable Communities Development (CSCD) and Bulgarian School of Politics with the active support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). During the 12 months of work, an analysis of the needs and challenges through refugees is envisaged and the construction of a Board for The Advocacy and Inclusion of Refugees (working title) with the participation of 15 representatives of the Arab, Afghan and Ukrainian communities to undergo training for the development and implementation of integration policies provided by experts of partner organizations. Piloting a model of board involvement in the institutional environment and a Roadmap for work with institutions are forthcoming. The activities of the project are located in Sofia, with the dissemination of the results through the communication channels of the partners and their partner networks up to 30 000 refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and 20 civil organizations with interest on the topic.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to improve the understanding of the needs of the current wave of refugees, as well as to help their inclusion in the existing institutional framework in Bulgaria. The construction of NAR added value to the existing experience in empowering refugees through training of representatives of refugee communities on their participation in social processes. NAR also builds the capacity to conduct initiatives to improve the work of the responsible institutions against the large population of refugees, addresses existing institutional gaps and involves stakeholders in the process of developing policies in support of refugees.
The project was implemented in partnership with Bulgarian School of Politics “Dimitry Panitza” and the active involvement of organizations working with refugees and migrants among them UNHCR, the Council of Refugee Women in Bulgaria (CRWB), Center for Dispute Resolution, Access to Rights Foundation, the Refugee and Migrant Service of the Bulgarian Red Cross, the Bulgarian Council on Refugees, New Bulgarian University, CVS-Bulgaria, Center for Legal Aid – Voice in Bulgaria (CLA) and others. The project created rules for conducting a procedure for selection of members of the Board for Advocacy and Inclusion of Refugees, election of a Board with the active participation of 15 representatives of the refugee community, choice of name, logo and statutes of the structure – National Assembly of Refugees in Bulgaria (NAR), conducting trainings, development of a methodology for analyzing the needs and challenges faced by refugees, analysis of the needs and challenges, development of an institutional roadmap.
An active Board (NAR) was developed, members organized their community in Signal for periodic meetings and discussions. A Roadmap for working with institutions was created to support easier orientation for both Board members and newly arrived migrants and refugees. Good partnership contacts were established thus ensuring real participation of NAR in initiatives and projects of other organizations working with this target audience – UNHCR and CRWB.
The results of the project are defined in the direction of creating capacity in NAR members and creating a partner network in which the organization can be recognized as a trusted partner.