In the run up to the High Level Officials Meeting (HLOM) in December 2025, this Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) blog series provides ICVA members with the opportunity to reflect on the Global Refugee Forums (GRF), focus attention on commitments, and strengthen transparency on progress on the implementation of the GCR since its affirmation in 2018. NGO members will provide perspective on pledges and highlight where further action is needed and reflect on gaps, opportunities and suggested areas of course correction. This work builds on the joint blog series with InterAction from 2024.
Refugee Self-Reliance: A Long-Standing and Urgent Priority
The increase in forced displacement, together with dwindling access to durable solutions, leaves increasing numbers of people in indefinite limbo, many for decades. This comes at a time when global humanitarian budgets are severely strained, resulting in inadequate and unpredictable aid as well as a reduction in capacity of the supporting humanitarian infrastructure. While most refugees require emergency aid for some period of time (and some may indefinitely), many are ready and eager to support their households much sooner than opportunities currently allow.
Refugee self-reliance is not a new concept. Globally, it is recognized as a key solution to the growing displacement crisis. Self-reliance is one of the 4 objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) – affirmed by almost every country at the United Nations; it is at the heart of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda; and perhaps most importantly, it is what refugees tell us they want. In our work supporting refugee communities, we have repeatedly heard that their experiences have led them to be weary of dependence on unreliable and short-term assistance. Instead, they look for chances to work, provide for themselves and their families, and rebuild their lives in host countries. Further, while self-reliance is not a durable solution in and of itself, it is supportive of, and contributes to the success of, all eventual durable solutions including voluntary return and third-country solutions.
A Shift Toward Strengths-Based, Long-Term Approaches
Self-reliance is an approach that re-orients assistance from only focusing on short-term, emergency aid, to also opening up opportunities for refugees to take control over their finances and futures, to use their skills to contribute to the communities they live in, while also strengthening their long-term resilience. This approach moves from focusing solely on needs and vulnerabilities to also emphasizing strengths within refugee families. Economic inclusion and social protection are critical, mutually reinforcing components of self-reliance, enabling refugees and other forcibly displaced people to provide for themselves and their families, and rebuild their lives in host countries, whether their stay is temporary or permanent. This is especially important for women, who often face heightened risks in displacement and are disproportionately affected by economic instability, making access to sustainable livelihoods essential for their safety, dignity, and long-term well-being.
Advancing Self-Reliance Through Global Collaboration
The Multistakeholder Pledge on Economic Inclusion and Social Protection (EISP), launched at the 2023 Global refugee Forum, advocates for inclusive law and policy to enhance economic inclusion, access to agricultural land, food security, local and remote employment and decent work, finance and financial services, entrepreneurship, training and lifelong learning, and inclusion into national social protection systems. It also serves as a platform to promote collaboration between pledging entities and other stakeholders to fulfill commitments, share best practices, and aggregate resources related to the three primary thematic areas of the pledge: Legal & Policy, Data & Evidence, and Programmes.
Led by the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (a strategic initiative of RefugePoint and the Women’s Refugee Commission), UNHCR, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa, and the governments of Denmark, Germany, Mexico, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United States of America, the EISP Pledge aims to galvanize concrete commitments from a wide range of stakeholders to advance the self-reliance of refugees, other forcibly displaced and stateless people, and host communities, and responds to recommendations captured during the High Commissioner’s Dialogue Innovation Lab on self-reliance in November 2022. A groundbreaking global collaboration, the EISP Pledge brought together a record number of commitments from 272 pledging partners, including 89 states and regional bodies, and $1 billion USD in immediately pledged investments.[1]
In the year since the launch of the EISP Pledge, stakeholders have engaged in a number of global initiatives to advance the objectives through shared learning and connections between policymakers, researchers and implementers. This includes engagement in events such as Young Refugees’ Participation, Leadership & Self-Reliance: The Future We Cannot Afford to Ignore at the Summit of the Future and the Re:BUiLD Research & Policy Symposium on economic inclusion in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. The pledge group is also seeking practical and conceptual connection points with other complementary initiatives, including the Multistakeholder Pledge on Skills-Based Complementary Pathways.
In addition, a new donor working group on self-reliance was organized to galvanize global support for self-reliance opportunities for refugees, other forcibly displaced and stateless people, and host communities. Launched in October 2024, the working group of 18 high-level governmental and foundation donors will build on efforts from the EISP Pledge. Through their collective advocacy, diplomacy, and resources, these donors will contribute to policies and programs that create self-reliance and economic inclusion opportunities.
Next Steps: Scaling Impact Through Local Leadership and Investment
While significant progress has been made, critical work remains to ensure self-reliance is fully embedded as a core component of refugee response efforts. Advancing this agenda requires strategies that center the insights, leadership, and priorities of affected communities—particularly those of local and national organizations, which are best positioned to understand and address the needs of displaced populations. Strengthening the role and influence of refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and frontline responders is a key part of this work, as these groups play an essential role in designing and delivering effective programs. Expanding their access to funding and decision-making spaces will further amplify their impact.
At the same time, long-term financial commitments are crucial for achieving systemic change. Without sustained investment, self-reliance efforts will struggle to scale, and refugees will continue to face barriers to achieving economic stability. These investments not only support refugees in rebuilding their lives but also create ripple effects that enhance economic and social stability in both host and receiving communities.
Efforts to advance self-reliance should also be seen as a foundational step in the broader journey toward solutions for refugees. There are strong opportunities to accelerate and multiply impact by linking self-reliance efforts to the other objectives of the GCR, including those related to voluntary return and access to third-country solutions through complementary pathways such as labor mobility and education programs. Investing in livelihoods and skills development—particularly in transferable skills and access to higher education—is critical for strengthening these self-reliance outcomes.
By addressing these key areas—incorporating local leadership, strengthening refugee-led initiatives, securing long-term funding, and linking self-reliance efforts to durable solutions—we can move beyond short-term aid models. Instead, we can create a future where refugees are empowered to take control of their lives, contribute to their communities, and build pathways to stability and dignity.
Technical co-conveners of this pledge include the International Labour Organization (ILO), Innovations for Poverty Action, the Poverty Alleviation Coalition, and the TENT Partnership for Refugees. Technical contributors include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement, the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UNICEF, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and the European Union (EU).
Technical co-conveners of this pledge include the International Labour Organization (ILO), Innovations for Poverty Action, the Poverty Alleviation Coalition, and the TENT Partnership for Refugees. Technical contributors include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement, the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UNICEF, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and the European Union (EU).
Authors
Kari Diener, Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative
Kellie Leeson, Women’s Refugee Commission
Simar Singh, RefugePoint
