This is the first of a three part series, covering the three days of consultation. See day two here and day three here.
NGOs from around the world met in Geneva Wednesday, 15 June, for the UNHCR Annual Consultations with NGOs. These annual consultations allow NGOs to raise issues, network, and to exchange views with UNHCR. The theme of this year’s consultations was “Youth: The Future is now”. Many youth representatives traveled from around the world to the consultations to participate.
The consultations began with two panels, the first on empowering sexual and gender minority refugee youth, with Farah Abdi (Global Refugee Youth Consultations, Youth Advisory Committee Member, Malta) and Betsy Fisher (International Refugee Assistance Project, USA), moderated by Neil Grungras of the Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration (ORAM).
The second panel was on people on the move – progress toward addressing large movements of refugees and migrants, with Anita Bay Bundegaard (Save the Children Advocacy Office, Switzerland), Elizabeth Ferris (Georgetown University, USA), Aime Kalangwa (Global Refugee Youth Consultations, Youth Advisory Committee Member, USA) and Diego Lorente (Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Matías de Córdova), moderated by Ellen Hansen, Senior Policy Advisor, Division of International Protection, UNHCR.
"Doomed is the one whose happiness depends on the permission of others" – powerful words from Farah Abdi at the #LGBTI session #UNHCRNGOs
— La Travellista (@latravellista) June 15, 2016
The Opening Plenary was marked by moving speeches from three youth refugee representatives: Diego Fernando Narvaez from Ecuador, Hourie Tafech from Malta, and Zhirair Chichian, a stateless youth from Georgia. We also heard from Johan Cels (Head, Governance and Partnership Service, UNHCR), Daniel Endres (Director, Division of External Relations, UNHCR), Nan Buzard (Executive Director, International Council of Voluntary Agencies [ICVA]), Muarait Kashmiri (Rapporteur to the Annual Consultations with NGOs) and the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.
"It is youth who drive the program" #UNHCRNGOs opening plenary pic.twitter.com/HaZFbyJS9I
— UNHCR Partnerships and Coordination (@UNHCRPartners) June 15, 2016
The High Commissioner spoke of the need to listen to youth, and to engage youth locally. The regional sessions followed, addressing the challenges youth face around the world.
This is the first of a three part series, covering the three days of consultation. See day two here and day three here.