Refugee Leaders Share Their Efforts to Support Displaced Communities at a UNHCR Conference
Refugee Leaders Share Their Efforts to Support Displaced Communities at a UNHCR Conference
Aminata Soucko, Sergio Contreras, Isber Sabrine, and Sunita Nasir, representatives of Refugee-Led Organizations, together with Fernanda Espuga, UNHCR's Community-Based Protection Associate, at the event.
Madrid – On Wednesday, November 20, UNHCR’s Office in Spain hosted the Protection Dialogue: Working with Refugees and Stateless People to Strengthen the Protection Response in Spain. This event highlighted the leadership of forcibly displaced people in finding protection solutions, building social support networks, and supporting the integration of asylum seekers, refugees, and stateless individuals in Spain.
The conference showcased best practices and experiences from Refugee- and Stateless-Led Organizations such as Red Aminata, Refugiados Sin Fronteras, Heritage For Peace, and AMAE. These entities contribute to protecting and including forcibly displaced individuals in areas such as preventing and responding to gender-based violence and female genital mutilation, fostering civic participation and advocacy, promoting psychosocial well-being through art and culture, and ensuring access to higher education and labor market inclusion.
The session began with opening remarks from Spain's Secretary of State for Migration, Pilar Cancela, and UNHCR’s Representative in Spain, Grainne O’Hara, who also closed the event alongside Fernanda Espuga, UNHCR Spain’s Community-Based Protection Associate. "Protection is not something given to refugees; it is something refugees themselves build through their efforts, skills, and commitments to themselves and their communities, including the host communities in exile. Protection is nothing more or less than the full enjoyment of all human rights to which we are all entitled", declared UNHCR’s Representative.
In her address, Grainne O’Hara also emphasized the critical role of Refugee- and Stateless-Led Organizations and the importance of building alliances involving all relevant protection stakeholders. She highlighted the progress made in recent years in building a space for heightened communication and networking.
The Secretary of State for Migration, Pilar Cancela, and UNHCR’s Representative, Grainne O’Hara, opened the event, held at the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration.
The event also explored collaboration between local governments and refugee communities, showcasing examples of best practices from Bilbao and Barcelona, where municipal councils for immigration and asylum provide structured avenues for grassroot organizations to participate and influence local policies. Additionally, Alphone Munyanesa, UNHCR’s Community-Based Protection Officer in Belgium, provided an international perspective, showcasing an example of successful collaboration between Belgian authorities and refugee committees.
Refugees and stateless individuals are the best positioned to understand their challenges, priorities, and protection opportunities. Within the framework of the Global Compact on Refugees and its mandate, UNHCR is committed to ensuring that refugees play a central role in decision-making processes affecting them, placing individuals at the heart of protection responses.
