Location: Katong Point
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has reported that an unprecedented 65.6 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. With the increasing number of refugees globally, can there be a more sustainable refugee strategy? Would shifting refugee support from humanitarian aid to economic development assistance be a plausible long term solution?Let’s explore how we can sustain refugee communities through economic opportunities with our dedicated activists.
Speaker:
– Advocates for Refugees Singapore (AFR-SG)
Founded in 2015, AFR is a ground-up, volunteer-led movement working for the cause of refugees and forced migration in Singapore, the region and beyond. AFR spearheads community dialogues on refugee and asylum seeker issues, with a strong focus on the impacts of forced migration.
– Refugees & Asylum Seekers Information Centre (RAIC)
Based in Indonesia, RAIC is a refugee managed volunteer network, easing the burden for anyone fleeing persecution through connecting with communities, dissemination of medical information, care packages, and legal aid to help refugees go through their UNHCR process.
– Reyna Movement
Headquartered in Singapore, the Reyna Movement is a regional organisation that aims to empower women and seeks to raise public awareness on the issues and struggles faced by women. Its overseas initiatives provide upskilling programmes and art therapy for Rohingya refugees.
– Artisan & Fox
Artisan & Fox is an ethical online marketplace serving artisans in the developing world. As a social enterprise, Artisan & Fox aims to raise artisan incomes and preserve cultural craftsmanship with years of history. Recently, it launched ‘Threads Of Syria’, a not-for-profit initiative providing dignified economic opportunity for Syrian women refugees by tapping into their potential for craftsmanship.
– IUVA Global
IUVA Global designs experiential learning programmes to institutions which fund relief efforts to refugee camps. Its sustainable business model renders help without waiting for outside funds. Assistance was provided to beneficiaries in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Gaza, Myanmar and also in Europe through this method. The beneficiaries are also their ground partners.
The talk focuses on the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
