Addressing the needs of the Syrian refugees

Organised by

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• Migration Working Group

This session of the Migration Working Group will explore how UNHCR Refugee Zakat Fund and Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) attempt to address the needs of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. In protracted crises such as the refugee one, the continuity of funding is fundamental to address individual needs and build long term resilience. While the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is especially affected by funding shortfalls, Islamic social welfare instruments could represent valid options for supporting long-term funding and avoiding the shortfall of conventional funds (Kachkar, 2017; Clarke and Tittensor, 2016). The UNHCR Zakat Fund and Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) are two organisation thereby operating to respond to the refugee crisis. Which instruments do they use, considering their different nature and mandate? How are they collaborating to create a common platform to address the refugee issue worldwide? Can we consider secular and religious forms of financing as complementarity tools for sustainable financial support? This seminar explores these questions in the specific case of support to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. Rather than competition, the presenter highlights how the two organisations collaborate and coordinate in managing resources.