[ONLINE TRAINING WORKSHOP SERIES] Jobs, Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Engagement in Host Communities

Tags: Cities / Competitiveness / Economy / Employment / Entrepreneurship / Governance / Refugees / Resilience / Social / Training / Urban / 2020

Starts: May 27, 2020
Ends: May 27, 2020

Location: Virtual
By: CMI & WB with AFD, in collaboration with CGAP, GIZ, ILO, UCLG-MEWA, WALD, UN-Habitat, UNHCR

Mediterranean Host Municipalities Learning Network

Online Training Workshop Series

“Jobs, Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Engagement in Host Communities: Adapting to the COVID-19 Crisis”

Context

The current global pandemic of COVID-19 is adding new challenges in addition to that of hosting refugees. Countries over the world have imposed internal and international movement restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, while their private sector struggles with the disruption in global supply chains and lower demand for goods. Much needed government responses to the pandemic are having important spillover effects on the world economy, adding pressure on central and local authorities, employees and employers, particularly in those regions already struggling with the increase in population due to forced displacement and conflict.

Municipalities are at the forefront of implementation of policies to support displaced and vulnerable local populations and are now under an added pressure deriving from the pandemic spread. Big and small municipalities had to stop their daily activities and development projects to focus on countering the spread of COVID-19 in alignment with government measures. In this context, new unforeseen challenges are arising with regards to the economic and social inclusion of vulnerable local and displaced populations, and the recovery of their private sector. Given the central role played by local authorities, raising the awareness and knowledge of municipal staff and elected representatives about how they can facilitate financial inclusion of refugees and vulnerable locals through work and entrepreneurship opportunities, as well as private sector partnerships, is crucial to unlock the positive role local authorities can have in the aftermath of this new crisis.

In preparation for the 4th Annual Peer-to-Peer Learning Workshop of the Mediterranean Host Municipalities Learning Network (HMLN), the technical online training series, in the form of 3 sessions, will provide representatives of central and local authorities and development partners an opportunity to learn from current experiences and active collaborations for stronger private sector engagement in contexts characterized by forced displacement. Transversal themes along the online workshops will be the contribution of women and displaced populations (refugees, IDPs, returnees) to local business development and the new context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Online Training Workshop Series is organized by the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) and the World Bank Group in collaboration with Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Cities Local Governments – the Middle East & West Asia (UCLG-MEWA), World Academy for Local Government and Democracy (WALD), UN-Habitat, UNHCR.

Objectives & Events

As a response to the expressed needs and interests of HMLN members, this online training event series will focus on fostering local private sector-driven solutions to recover the private sector in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, create jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities and provide a better local economic environment in localities dealing with forced displacement. It will aim to:

Keep the momentum among HMLN members, partners and experts in light of the postponement of the 4^th Annual Peer-to-Peer Learning Workshop of the HMLN and setting the technical basis in preparation to the event;
Share local response experiences and existing analysis to support local authorities in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis by recovering their private sector while strengthening a stretched local economy ;
Deepen the knowledge of local and central government representatives on private sector engagement and refugee entrepreneurship in a forced displacement context, in light of the new global economic challenges derived by the pandemic, through technical presentations and showcasing good practices;
Initiate peer-to-peer solution-oriented discussions trough open discussions and practical exercises.

This online event series will consist of technical presentations, experience sharing, followed by open discussions. It will be also punctuated to a certain extent by participatory moments with individual exercises involving all participants: it is expected of participants to have active participation in the event. The outcome of discussions of these virtual events will feed into the development of the agenda of the forthcoming 4^th Annual Peer-to-Peer Learning Workshop of the HMLN and set the basis of a face-to-face discussion.

The series will be composed of three online workshops:

Simultaneous interpretation will be available in Arabic, English, and Turkish.

Further details for each session, as well as detailed agenda and concept note, are provided below.

Workshop participation and logistics

Participants who successfully attend the three online workshops of the series will be awarded a certificate.

This training workshop series is open to the HMLN and partners, as well as to the general public, upon prior registration.

Attendance to this training series is a mandatory requirement for representatives from the HMLN who were competitively selected to attend the face-to-face 4^th Annual Peer-to-Peer Learning Workshop.

If you wish to participate in this online training workshop series, please click here to register. Connection details will be shared with registered participants.

Participation to the three online events will take place via an online connection, allowing participants to connect from an electronic device - computer or smartphone - with a stable internet connection (headsets are highly recommended). Live interactions will be also possible through chat functionality.