Projects

Empowering Migrant Voices for Local Integration and Inclusion – EMV-LII

Human Rights and Minorities | Project duration: 1/4/2024 - 31/3/2024

EMV-LII_logo“Integration happens in every village, city and region, where migrants live, work, go to school, and are members of clubs and associations. Although the central government often decides integration policies, the local level plays a key role.” Topic 2 of the AMIF call rightly explains what we have already experienced and advocated in previous projects that local integration is key for migrants and communities. Therefore, the EMV-LII project is designed on the key principle that for local integration and local integration strategies to succeed the participation of migrants is of utmost importance. EMV-LII project is thereby highly relevant to European needs. Also, it builds on the previous project AMIF EMVI 2022-2023 (Empowering Migrants Voices for Integration) with the perspective to deepen and strengthen processes already piloted and started. It broadened the activities to two more countries and new local and regional authorities. At the same time, EMV-LII proposes new innovative tools and activities to enhance migrant participation for local integration. It is presented by a unique and diverse multistakeholder partnership consisting of 19 NGOs, local and regional authorities and migrant-led organisations and councils from 7 member states (Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Luxembourg) including one EU partner from Brussels.

As stated in Topic 2 of the AMIF call, the project includes the principle: “Local strategies and activities ensuring proper coordination and consultation are key for an early start and success of the integration process. The development and implementation of these strategies should encompass all actors in facilitating integration, including migrant communities, which should, wherever applicable, be consulted in designing integration measures and policies.” Therefore it develops further, enhances, strengthens and broadens different migrant participation methods in local integration strategies design and implementation. These methods include migrant advisory councils, online and offline participation by issue-raising sessions, an e-participation portal, migrant-led advocacy, and policy roundtables piloted and proven effective in the AMIF EMVI project by research and external evaluation of participation tools.

The main focuses of the project EMV-LIIk are:

  • Inclusive societies for all;
  • Local and regional levels are key for integration and inclusion;
  • Migrants play a key role in the integration and inclusion of migrants;
  • Integration and inclusion is a two-way process so capacity and exchange with the host society and institutions is imperative;
  • Participation of migrants is crucial for local and regional integration and beyond;
  • Migrants’ inclusion is much more effective if their participation is raised;
  • Digitalisation needs to include migrants.

General objective: In line with the call objective the project’s general purpose is: to support the development and implementation of local integration strategies by increasing migrants’ and diaspora organisations’ participation for more effective inclusion at the local and regional levels, with a special emphasis on including migrants with specific needs focussing on persons in need of international protection, young migrants and women.

Specific objective 1: Strengthen and empower the participation of migrants in local integration, through training and capacity building.
Specific objective 2: Increased capacity and willingness of local and regional authorities to engage migrants in local integration strategies.
Specific objective 3: Strengthen participation mechanisms for local integration.

Project website: https://diaspora-participation.eu/



Partners:

Südwind (project leader), Migrant advisory board Graz, City of Graz and Lustenau (Austria); COSPE, City of Empoli (Italy); moveGLOBAL e.V, Senate of Berlin (Germany); SYMBIOSIS, Development agency (Greece); Center for peace studies, Međimurje Region (Croatia); FSLUX, City of Schifflange (incl. rural area) (Luxemburg); Peace institute, KD Gmajna, SOS, City of Ljubljana (Slovenija); ADYFE (Belgium).

Funders:

EU AMIF-2023: Integration and inclusion at regional and local level