The Lives in Dignity Grant Facility explored new ways to strategically fund projects and promote development-oriented approaches in forced displacement settings. Through a flexible funding model, the facility gave implementing partners and displacement-affected persons a diverse toolbox to design projects that matched their local needs, while breaking down siloed thematic interventions and barriers between humanitarian, development, and peace efforts.
This integration strategy proved successful, with local actors receiving over half of the facility's funding, while the programme expanded beyond the traditional internationally led consortium approach to facilitate equitable partnerships and actively encourage collaboration with local government authorities, academic institutions, and private sector organizations. An upcoming InfoPoint will examine this strategic approach, featuring speakers from Asia, Africa, and South America who will share their experiences, including perspectives from both private sector and academic partners.
- the EU's international role | international cooperation
- Tuesday 8 April 2025, 14:30 - 16:00 (CEST)
- Brussels, Belgium
Practical information
- When
- Tuesday 8 April 2025, 14:30 - 16:00 (CEST)
- Where
- InfoPointBrussels, Belgium
- Languages
- English
- Organisers
- International Partnerships InfoPoint
Description
In 2020, the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), established the Lives in Dignity (LiD) Grant Facility. Its aim was to promote development-oriented approaches to displacement crises in line with its commitments under the 2016 Communication, “Lives in Dignity: From Aid-dependence to Self-reliance."
The LiD Grant Facility’s Strategy was designed to assist displacement-affected persons based on their needs rather than their status. Participants included those displaced or at risk of being displaced by disaster and climate-related events, as well as host communities. Projects funded fostered resilience, socio-economic growth, and sustainable development through community-driven, innovative, and flexible solutions that bridged the gap between humanitarian aid and development assistance.
The Facility funded 14 projects across 15 countries in Asia, Sub-saharan Africa and Latin America between 2021 and 2025.
The InfoPoint will explore the aims and experience of the facility, and will summarize key lessons learned - both by the facility, and by the facility’s non-profit, academic and private sector partners. Challenges will be showcased and solutions outlined in order to articulate a path forward for more sustainable approaches to the burgeoning displacement crisis. This InfoPoint will examine how funding entities and grant support managers can develop strategic financing mechanisms that contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global policy agendas, including opportunities to incentivize localisation, advance a whole-of-society approach and ensure the strong participation of displacement-affected communities.
Following this, the facility will launch a document that summarizes lessons learned from the experience of the facility.
Speakers
- Francesco Luciani, Head of Migration & Forced displacement, DG INTPA G.6
- Andrew Kirkwood, Director, UNOPS Geneva Office - Geneva, Switzerland
- Anna Ropers-Bergeot, Team Lead, INTPA G.6
- Miriam Alum, Protection Advisor, Lutheran World Federation - Kampala, Uganda
- Aung Swe Oo, Project Manager, Zabai Ltd. - Yangon, Myanmar
- Mario Cepeda Caceres, Professor, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru - Lima, Peru
- Angela St.Jules, Senior Project Manager, UNOPS Lives in Dignity
Language: English
Q&A session languages: English
Registration
Registration for onsite participation at the InfoPoint premises
Register for online participation to the Webex meeting (Webex link will be communicated upon registration)
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