Shaping Policies through Lived Experience
The Transformative Impact of Meaningful Refugee Participation
In the seconds leading up to her intervention at the Global Refugee Forum, the countless challenges faced by refugees accumulate in Nejra’s mind, alongside her strong determination to be part of decisions that will shape their future.
Nejra Sumic, born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, arrived in the United States with her family through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. "This experience has deeply shaped my perspective and fueled my passion for refugee advocacy," said Nejra. Being resettled through this program led her to focus the last 10 years of her professional career on promoting the work of refugee-led organizations through the “We Are All America” campaign and, the United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB), where she serves as Deputy Chair. "USRAB has expanded and diversified its expertise, enabling our team to engage in domestic and international forums. We have delivered keynotes, moderated dialogues, convened key stakeholders, and supported a growing network of refugee-led mechanisms globally."
The USRAB is a participatory mechanism in which people with lived experience of forced displacement provide expert advice on forced displacement policies in regional and international settings, and ensure meaningful engagement in policies affecting the lives of refugees. USRAB was created with the support of Refugee Congress, Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM), and Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table (R-SEAT) to institutionalize refugee responses through refugee advisory mechanisms. A key role taken on by USRAB advisors is attending multilateral policy sessions as an official member of the US state delegation. As Nejra’s reflects on her experience at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF):
"I attended the Global Refugee Forum as the USRAB Refugee Representative on the U.S. Government Delegation. A historic first because this was the first time a refugee had been part of the government delegation for the GRF. This event has taught me that several entities, mechanisms, and organizations are working towards the betterment of refugees' lives. However, we still need to continue to press the work forward and advocate for substantive, meaningful consultation and engagement, leading to an equal seat across the spaces that govern the lives of millions of refugees."
According to UNHCR, the GRF brought more than 4,200 participants from 168 countries together in person, with a further 10,000 people following the event online. At this event, authorities from different countries around the world presented the progress and challenges they have faced in responding to the situations of refugees on topics such as education, livelihoods, health, resettlement, connectivity, and gender and diversity. More than 300 people impacted by forced displacement attended this event, compared to 72 at the first GRF in 2019.
Since the adoption of the Global Compact on Refugees, which called for stakeholders to engage in meaningful refugee participation (MRP) through Paragraph 34, the practice of creating solutions alongside refugees is gaining momentum. While the concept of meaningful refugee participation has appeared in recent events on forced displacement, the parameters of its definition and scope are still being defined*.
"USRAB is setting the stage and shaping international norms for other countries to advance policy engagement, and we really hope that our work continues to set the example, and most importantly, measurably lead to solutions," said Nejra.
Meaningful refugee participation is paving the way for a future where refugees are recognized as vital contributors to global solutions and actively shape policies which impact their lives.
*At R-SEAT, meaningful refugee participation occurs when refugees from diverse backgrounds have sustained influence in all forums where decisions, policies, and responses that impact their lives are designed, implemented, and measured in a manner that is accessible, broad, informed, safe, free, and supported. (Photo provided by Nejra Sumic)