Standing up for refugees makes an impact!

Standing up for refugees makes an impact!

10 years of projects in the context of flight and internal migration

Flight and migration are centrali characteristics of current global politics, and the number of refugees continues to reach record levels, exceeding the 122 million mark. Around 68 million of these are internally displaced persons (IDPs). The reason for the rapidly increasing numbers can be seen in various conflicts around the world (e.g. Ethiopia and Afghanistan), but is also exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis*.

In accordance with resolution 136 of the 24th regional church synod to contribute to combating the causes of flight in Africa, the Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM), together with partner churches in Ethiopia, Malawi and the Republic of South Africa have used special funds provided by the regional synod to subsidise 15 projects that contribute to defusing the crisis in the context of flight and migration.

These projects have been externally evaluated and have demonstrably made a positive difference in the lives of the projects' participants. Prevention work and conflict resolution are just as important as reducing structural deficits, increasing social and legal security, increasing disposable income, psychological stabilisation and counselling. Strengthening the economic framework conditions as well as counselling and measures to help people help themselves are a contribution toward fulfilling the vision of the Global Compact for Refugees and make a significant contribution to a "good life" for refugees or people threatened by internal displacement.

Three short films are intended to document these positive developments and show the very complex dynamics of displacement, which can have different causes that need to be addressed in different ways; the films also show that a significant contribution to a "good life" can also be made in this area. Protagonists in three countries open up different and surprising perspectives on the topic of displacement. At the centre of each film is a personal story or the story of a group. They offer a platform to take on different perspectives and to authentically experience the facets and contexts of the topic of migration as one (of many) realities.