Technical Webinar: The role of cooperatives and social and solidarity economy organizations in forced displacement contexts

With the aim of highlighting the role and contributions of cooperatives and SSEOs in forced displacement contexts, the ILO COOP Unit and the PROSPECTS programme are organizing a webinar to allow for interactive discussion between practitioners and project implementers.

According to latest estimates by the in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there were 79.5 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations at the end of 2019. To face this situation, a new consensus is emerging around the need for displaced persons and host communities to access enhanced economic opportunities. Establishing structures that the local community can trust, as well as strengthening local governance, is key to peacebuilding. Cooperatives and other Social and Solidarity Economy Organizations (SSEOs) are well positioned to address the needs of both displaced persons and host populations, because of their ability to combine practical assistance and psycho-social support through collective action, underpinned by principles of self-help, mutualism and democratic governance.

With the aim of highlighting the role and contributions of cooperatives and SSEOs in forced displacement contexts, the ILO COOP Unit and the PROSPECTS programme are organizing a webinar to allow for interactive discussion between practitioners and project implementers. The webinar will start with a presentation of a recent mapping study on responses by cooperatives and SSEOs to forced displacement undertaken by the ILO. It will be followed by examples of case studies from Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Uganda and Turkey, and will continue with an interactive discussion. Participants will be able to send questions before the webinar (following the registration) and during the webinar.

Programme

14:30-14:40 Introduction
  • Nicholas Grisewood, Global Programme Manager, ILO PROSPECTS – Improving Prospects for Host Communities and Forcibly Displaced Persons (Moderator).
  • Simel Esim, Head, ILO Cooperatives Unit, ENTERPRISES Department.

14:40-15:20 Presentations
  • Ms. Courtenay Cabot Venton, Independent Consultant and author of the ILO report on cooperative responses to forced displacement – will provide an overview of the different interventions that cooperatives and SSEOs may have in forced displacement contexts.
  • Ms Eda Kayadibinlioglu, representative of YouthDeal Cooperative – will present practical examples of Syrian refugees’ integration into cooperatives in Turkey.
  • M Asiimwe Ivan, General Secretary/CEO of the Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) – will provide an overview of UCA’s work on refugee response in Uganda.
  • Ms Shaza Jondi, Chief Technical Advisor for PROSPECTS in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq- will share ILO experience in working with cooperatives in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.
15:20-16:00 Interactive discussions and Q&A

Date and time

Date: 23 November 2020
Time: 14.30 pm – 16.00 pm (CET time)
Language: English
Where: Zoom, click here to register
Organizer: Co-organized by the COOP Unit and PROSPECTS programme.