The international system has been created so that states can reach agreements among themselves on how to create norms to govern the political, social, economic, and even cultural phenomena and processes of the world. These states, particularly those with democratically elected leaders, act and make decisions on behalf of their citizens who choose them as their representatives on the global stage. However, the system fails to account for people who are not part of the political process to select who represents them, a growing group of people who often go voiceless as policies and decisions are made about them: refugees and migrants.
Despite some progress over the last few years, by and large, refugees and migrants are left out of national and international spaces where policies and programs related to refugees and migrants are debated, discussed, and designed. This often results in policy decisions that are not in line with the contexts and realities of refugees and migrants; rather we end up with policies built around political and ideological perspectives. For example, in 2022, the Colombian Ministry of National Education decided to revert its 2021 policy that exempted Venezuelans from obtaining an apostille — a certificate of authentication — to validate academic degrees they received in Venezuela. The decision was made following the opening of Venezuelan consulates in Colombia, and as it was expected, these consulates could provide apostille services. However, accessing consular services remains highly bureaucratic and many Venezuelans are now unable to obtain an apostille for their degrees. In turn, they are unable to enroll in higher education or apply for jobs.
Most refugees and migrants do not leave their homes by choice but out of obligation. Without the possibility of being heard, the current system deepens the annulment of their experiences and needs, and imposes ways of life on them that are unlikely to improve their lives and well-being.
A new model of meaningful participation
What if we could envision a different international system, one where refugees and migrants were allowed to participate in the forums of debate? This would undoubtedly bring new perspectives to the decision-making table. It would help ensure decisions are made based on the contextual realities of refugees and migrants, increasing the chances that a policy will create positive change and reducing the potential of harmful effects. At the same time, it would empower refugees and migrants and enable them to influence their own destinies. Focusing on both the needs and aspirations of forcibly displaced people in order to contribute in their new environments and aligning these with the state’s economic and social priorities could generate a more balanced and successful approach to supporting refugees and their host communities.
This new model of meaningful participation is what many refugees and migrants are fighting for at all levels of decision-making. We believe that when civil society voices from the affected populations are included in the creation and implementation of policies and programs, attention to the barriers and solutions to our integration are more quickly and adequately identified and addressed. For example, Colombia’s temporary protected status — which allows eligible Venezuelans to regularize their stay and reside, access services, and obtain a job in Colombia for 10 years — has seen at least partial success because the government allowed civil society and refugee- and migrant-led organizations to contribute to its design. Moreover, meaningful participation makes us co-responsible for achieving outcomes. As representatives of our communities, refugee- and migrant-led organizations are held accountable to those we serve to represent their needs and experiences when helping shape policies and programs that will impact them. At my organization, Juntos se Puede, we are committed to working with the Colombian government at national and municipal levels to achieve our shared goals around integration and inclusion.
A call for co-created solutions
Designing policies and programs in partnership with refugees and migrants not only gives them a voice they otherwise do not have, it also creates greater impacts. Refugees and migrants in Latin America and elsewhere advocate for policies and programs that allow them to integrate into their new societies — to access jobs, schools, and health care. When we raise the human capital of a so-called vulnerable population, they can contribute meaningfully to the social and economic development of their host community and host country. As refugees and migrants again begin to be part of a society, generating a social fabric with their host community members, trust builds and mental health improves.
Opinion: Refugee input must shape our global response to refugee issues
"If we want to solve the global refugee crisis in a durable way, we need to bring the voices of refugees, asylees, and other forcibly displaced people to the policy arenas where they are most needed," Basma Alawee writes in this opinion.
To achieve all this, the international bureaucracy must change its ways of working. States and international players must come to understand that refugee- and migrant-led organizations need systematic ways to bring their expertise and be involved in decision-making that impacts their lives. Donors that seek to support refugee and migrant communities will need to reorient their financing to directly support refugee- and migrant-led organizations so they can engage at local, national, and international forums where refugee policy is discussed. They will also need to rethink their program design and implementation processes to ensure projects are built from the ground up and co-owned by communities.
We cannot build a better world for refugees and migrants without them. I dream of a world of co-created policy and co-responsibility for outcomes, where refugee and migrant communities are respected as experts in what will improve their lives and we have a shared strategic vision of development in which refugees and migrants, states, and the international community walk together in building our future.
To learn more about and support the work of Juntos se Puede, visit: https://www.juntossepuede.co/
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About the author
Ana Karina Garcia
Ana Karina Garcia is the director of Juntos se Puede, a nonprofit organization based in Colombia that serves Venezuelan refugees and migrants and the Colombian host community. She is a Venezuelan refugee and lawyer, and holds a master's degree in public management and territorial governance.
