Enabling the economic integration of refugees: lessons learned on refugee employment and employability from the rapid response to Ukraine

Since 24 February 2022, nearly 8 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries. The war is widely recognized as the worst conflict in Europe since the Second World War and adds to the estimated 32 million people worldwide who have been displaced across borders (UNHCR, 2021). At the end of 2020, the number of active conflicts around the globe reached a record high, more than at any time since 1945 (UNHCR, 2021). Investing in durable solutions in countries of origin is an imperative, yet government, business and civil society leaders must also enable economic opportunity for forcibly displaced populations, supporting those who flee while converting potential challenges into opportunities for host countries.

There is an opportunity to learn from the government policies and business practices applied in responding to the refugee crisis in Ukraine to motivate progressive and equitable solutions for the economic integration of forcibly displaced populations globally. In May 2022, the World Economic Forum launched the Refugee Employment and Employability Initiative to accelerate global support for the economic integration of refugees. This brief builds on the initiative's high-level dialogues and the lessons learned across the business community and other stakeholders from the rapid labour market integration of Ukrainian refugees.

Excerpt from publication. Show less