Programme

The New York Declaration recognizes local authorities to be at the front and center of the responses to migration and displacement, including the importance of mainstreaming migration and displacement into local development planning. The positive contributions of migration and development have also been recognized in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in which cities are at the centre of securing safe, inclusive and sustainable living environments. Overall, however, to date only 20% of local governments have been consulted on the SDGs. The panel will also offer the opportunity to Turkish mayors to highlight the different response models put in place by Turkish municipalities in welcoming migrants and refugees, and their cooperation with international actors.

In a context of migration and displacement, how can local partners ensure realization of the SDGs and localize objectives around issues such as transparency, local service delivery and access to legal aid? How to ensure that local governance is inclusive of all layers of society, including displaced persons?

Parallel Session 1.1 – Mayors Driving Job Creation, Partnerships for Basic Service Delivery and Financial Sustainability

The session will address the role of local governance actors in ensuring access to jobs and employment opportunities to refugees and migrants at the local level. The session will thereby also look into creating opportunities for formalization and integration of informal workers to guarantee decent livelihoods, especially for women workers, who are often over-represented in the informal sector.

How can local partners expand and create formal job opportunities for both refugees and migrants as well as host communities? What are good practice examples of partnership models with the private sector to support this process? What is the role of new technologies in fostering new economic opportunities?

Parallel Session 1.2 – Cities as Safe Heavens: Municipalities Ensuring Safe and Protective Environments

Municipalities are first-line responders in the provision of a safe space and social protection, including welfare support and safe housing, to displaced people. The session will look at how municipalities have managed to provide protection and social services to new population, including adapting existing services to specific needs of migrants and refugees.

How can local authorities sustainably integrate displaced persons into municipal social protection schemes? How to avoid tensions with host communities and what can be done to showcase positive contributions of displaced communities to the local environment?

Mutual support between cities and local development actors that experience different forms of migration and displacement is beneficial in managing responses effectively.

How can increased dialogue between municipalities and regions generate innovative, effective and inclusive development solutions? How can municipalities and other local actors more effectively partner with civil society organizations to ensure service delivery?

This session will be an opportunity to discuss the specific challenges faced by smaller and intermediary municipalities affected by migration and displacement. Municipalities generally start taking measures and new policies to respond to migration and displacement before the central government can develop and adopt policies and guidance to support local authorities. While principles of decentralization and localization recognize that municipalities are best placed to adjust their policies and practices, maintaining and strengthening linkages between central and local level governance remains crucial to ensure that lessons are shared across the country, that minimum standards are respected everywhere, and that additional support is provided where needs exceed local resources.

What are the specific challenges that small and intermediary city face? What networks have they used to respond efficiently? What kind of support do they need from Central Governments and what resources/experience can they share? What economy of scales and efficiency gains can be achieved by cooperation between neighbouring municipalities?

Parallel Session 2.1 – Anchoring Success for All: Gender Equality and Youth Empowerment

This session will discuss the main challenges around vulnerable groups in response to migration and displacement. Although Syrians have been welcomed by host communities in Turkey, the vulnerability levels remain concerning, particularly for vulnerable groups such as youth and women. Recent reports indicate that the growing isolation of Syrian women and youth, particularly when it comes to access to the labour market, which in turn is fuelling risky behaviour such as early marriage, or recruitment by smuggling/violent groups. Assessments indicate several causes, including legal status, language barriers, security and other gender and age related obstacles. On the other hand, the case of Syrians in Turkey also illustrates that migration and displacement can create opportunities for transformational changes. The proportion of refugee women, for instance, ready to work in the formal and informal economy has increased.

In the context of migration and displacement, what are good practice examples of local initiatives to strengthen integration of displaced youth and females to date? What partnerships can be formed with civil society to foster social inclusion? How have local governments used gender-responsive budgeting as a planning and governance tool to promote gender equality?

Parallel Session 2.2 – Ensuring Dignity: Local Authorities Fostering Access to Basic Services Such As Health and Education

The session will discuss how local authorities are responding to the challenge of expanding public services such as health and education to displaced populations, often without additional resources, without hampering quality of access for host communities. While pressure on services can be a source of tensions at the local level, the response to the Syria crisis has also shown how municipalities can foster new partnerships and mobilize international support not only to increase but also to expand access to services.

How have local authorities dealt with increased demand for health, education and other services from refugees and migrants? How did they adapt such services to the specific needs of displaced populations? What are the key to ensuring inclusive and quality health and education services?

Parallel Session 3.1 – A Vision of Sustainable Cities, Circular Urban Economies, and the Impact of Migration and Displacement on Environment

This session will address solid waste management, waste water management, renewable energies policies and role new technologies, innovation, and data management that have mitigated the impact of migration and displacement on the environment. Through the New Urban Agenda and the Paris agreement on Climate Change, states committed to promoting the conservation and sustainable use of water in urban and peri-urban areas and to promote environmentally sound waste management. In addition, it was acknowledged that increasing the use of renewable energy and converting waste to energy is important at the local level to mitigate the impact of additional demand for services as a result of migration and displacement.

In the context of sudden, migration and displacement, how can zero waste policies and practices be used to reduce the production of waste, while creating livelihoods opportunities? What examples do we have from SMART CITIES? What can be done by municipalities to support more effective waste and waste water management and planning?

Parallel Session 3.2 – Smart Cities: The Role of New Technologies, Innovation, and Data Management

This session will address the role of new technologies, innovation, and data management for municipalities in responding to migration and displacement. Cities across the globe are using digital tools, such as web portals and applications to improve access to public services, enhance responsiveness, better understand the needs of the populations they serve, and provide platforms for better civic engagement. Research has shown that disadvantaged groups, including refugees and other minorities, are high users of smartphones and social media and risk being deprived of essential services if systems don’t function effectively. Examples include the use of digital tools for improving access to services, tailored apps for new arrivals (translation, information on rights), on-the-ground reporting and smart residency cards.

What are the new opportunities offered by digital technology to reach migrant communities? How have municipalities ensured that no one is left behind and that smart solutions do not work against the poorest or marginalized groups such as refugees? What can we learn from SMART Cities?