Second Phase of PROSPECTS Launched in Ethiopia, Empowering Refugees, IDPs and Host Communities

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA (ILO News) –The Government of the Netherlands, along with Ethiopia’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), line Ministries, and other humanitarian and development agencies, today announced the launch of the second phase of the PROSPECTS partnership, a ground-breaking initiative designed to strengthen the resilience, self-reliance, and inclusion of forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) and host communities in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is the third largest refugee-hosting country in Africa welcoming refugees primarily from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. Recognizing the challenges refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities face, the Netherlands’ government has been playing a pivotal role in bringing together humanitarian and development agencies to promote access to education, livelihoods, protection, and critical infrastructure for refugees, IDPs and host communities.

The first phase of the partnership program from 2020 – 2023 yielded significant results in targeted areas impacted by displacement across three pillars: Education and Training, Employment with Dignity, and Protection and Inclusion. As part of UN's New Way of Working strategy, the partnership also promoted joint programming between the five PROSPECTS agencies representing innovative collaboration in the forced displacement space.

© ILO

© ILO

Key achievements during PROSPECTS phase 1 include:

• 20,218 students gained access to learning opportunities through Accelerated Learning and Skills Development Programs for out of school children and young people.
• 18 infrastructure facilities such as roads, water detention ponds, and Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) centers were built and rehabilitated that resulted in the creation of 20,000 jobs.
• 26,020 children below the age of 3 years were issued birth certificates.
• Up to 60,000 children were reached with child protection services, including case management, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), referral and access to other essential services.
• The partnership helped further strengthen capacity of government entities involved in justice, security, child protection, and registration.

At the launch event held at the Netherlands Embassy in Ethiopia announcing PROSPECTS’ second phase from 2024 - 2027, representatives from the International Labor Organization (ILO), International Finance Corporation (IFC); United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); and The World Bank (WB) underscored the impact of PROSPECTS in the first phase and anticipated even greater strides in the next four years.

Henk Jan Bakker, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ethiopia, shared, “The Government of the Netherlands seeks to strengthen the prospects of refugees, IDPs and host communities in Ethiopia."

© ILO

© ILO

He added, “The Netherlands is proud to continue supporting the PROSPECTS program. This partnership aligns well with the Ethiopian government’s commitments including the pledges made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF) and our government’s commitment to promoting sustainable solutions for forced displacement. By investing in education, job creation, protection and critical infrastructure, we can empower both refugees and host communities to build a more resilient future."

H.E. Teyiba Hassen, Director General of the Refugees and Returnees Service highlighted the program's significance, "The Ethiopian government is committed to creating a more inclusive and prosperous future for all, including refugees. We believe PROSPECTS will play a vital role in achieving this goal.”

She added, “We are actively enhancing the socio-economic inclusion of forcibly displaced people and strengthening host community resilience. Our recent inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers in the National Digital ID system exemplifies the commitment of the Government of Ethiopia to integrating refugees into national systems."

She also emphasized the significance of collaboration and meaningful engagement of relevant stakeholders in the PROSPECTS partnership to foster a sense of togetherness and leading to better results for improving the management of forced displacement crises in Ethiopia.

A panel discussion at the launch event brought together representatives from the five partner UN agencies and RRS. Alexio Musindo, Country Director for the ILO in Addis Ababa, emphasized the organization's role in creating decent jobs. He stated that "during the partnership's first phase, the ILO and its tripartite partners made significant contributions to decent job creation through knowledge development, service improvement, and institutional building."

© ILO

© ILO

Musindo went on to assure continued support for building resilience and inclusion for refugees and their Ethiopian hosts. He outlined the ILO's focus for the partnership's second phase: "We will prioritize fostering meaningful youth engagement, strengthening private sector involvement, expanding partnerships, and leveraging the digital economy."

Sileshi Umer, Vice Chairperson of the Youth Network Committee established by the partnership, said “Our youth network committee has demonstrated an unyielding determination and put young people at the heart of the PROSPECTS program implementation. The committee strived to create opportunities and amplify the voices of our youth through a meaningful engagement and participation.”

He added, “Through our efforts in promoting meaningful engagement of host communities and forcibly displaced people, we designed project activities that are inclusive of refugees and people with disabilities and programs that are gender responsive.”

The Second Phase: A Renewed Commitment

The second phase of PROSPECTS will build on the outcomes from the first phase and focus on delivering concrete improvements in the lives of refugees, IDPs and host communities. The program will have four key pillars:

• Education and Learning: Equipping young people with relevant skills and knowledge to succeed in school, life, and the workforce.
• Economic Inclusion: Creating opportunities for decent work and livelihoods for FDPs and host communities.
• Protection and Inclusion: Promoting the rights and inclusion of FDPs and ensuring they can access essential services including through a strengthened and inclusive child protection system.
• Critical Infrastructure: Improving infrastructure to facilitate access to, among others, digital connectivity, WASH, and sustainable housing for FDPs and host communities.

About the PROSPECTS Program:

PROSPECTS is spearheaded by the Government of the Netherlands and brings together IFC, ILO, UNHCR, UNICEF and WB. The partnership aims to shift the paradigm from a humanitarian to a development approach in responding to forced displacement crises in line with the Government’s and beneficiaries’ priorities. Working through their institutional mandates, each partner is bringing its expertise and experience to tackle specific vulnerabilities in four intervention areas in cooperation with local stakeholders. The Partnership is being implemented in eight countries in East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda) and the Middle East and North Africa region (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon).