Work with UNHCR
MYAN has also been working with UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva to revise UNHCR’s Resettlement and Integration Handbook, specifically the chapter on Children and Youth. We have undertaken global consultations with refugee young people in resettlement countries to inform this work.
International Policy
Submission to UNHCR responding to Draft 3 of the Global Compact on Refugees
July 2018
Following months of consultations, UNHCR released the final draft of the Global Compact on Refugees. Throughout the consultation process, the youth agenda has progressed considerably and the final draft now recognized adolescents and youth as a group with specific needs and recognizes them as a stakeholder. MYAN released a short brief on its observations on the final draft following the release of the final version of the Global Compact on Refugees in the autumn of 2018.
Submission to UNHCR responding to Draft 2 of the Global Compact on Refugees
May 2018
MYAN recently released its response to Draft 2 of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The development of the GCR is an historic moment and MYAN has been engaged in the drafting process, advocating for the inclusion of youth rights in the GCR. We were pleased to see stronger representation of youth needs, rights and capabilities in Draft 2 and believe this could be further strengthened. We have also been involved in the process organised by International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) to provide a joint response from the NGOs to the GCR Draft 2. MYAN congratulates ICVA for giving young people a platform to make presentations on behalf of NGOs. Two members of UNHCR’s Global Youth Advisory Council (GYAC) delivered ICVA’s statements during the last round of formal consultations in Geneva in early May.
Submission to UNHCR responding to Draft 1 of the Global Compact on Refugees
April 2018
MYAN has recently released a response to Draft 1 of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The creation of the GCR is a critical opportunity for the recognition and inclusion of refugee youth rights and needs in discussions around refugee protection. This would ensure that refugee youth, as a group with distinct rights, needs and capacities, and who make up at least one-third of the global refugee population, are adequately protected and empowered. This reflects and builds on the work of UNHCR and civil society over several years in promoting the rights and needs of refugee youth.
April 2018
MYAN endorsed a position paper from the Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action – Recommendations on youth in the Global Compact on Refugees.
This paper calls for recognition of the particular rights, needs and capabilities of young people to be better reflected in the GCR. This includes commitments to facilitating their meaningful engagement in solutions and to youth-specific policy and programming. Following the New York Declaration in 2016, the drafting of the GCR is currently underway, with a series of consultations occurring throughout 2018. The final GCR will be released at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2018. Read more about the GCR here.
2017
A collaboration between MYAN Australia, the RET International, INEE and NRC to strengthen a focus on youth and adolescents in programming. This desk review demonstrates need to put adolescents & youth at the centre of programmatic guidelines.
MYAN made a contribution to the development of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) focusing on appropriate care for children in the context of international migration (developed by an inter-agency working group including UNHCR and UNICEF, Geneva).
December 2017
MYAN prepared this advocacy brief to support the inclusion of youth rights and needs in the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). UNHCR’s Global Youth Advisory Council (GYAC) has provided input and endorsed the brief in December 2017. The GYAC has also prepared a paper presenting recommendations on the GCR. The GYAC paper and MYAN brief are complementary and should be read alongside each other. Read the advocacy brief here.
October 2017
This report to the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (the CERD Committee) examines Australia’s compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The report is intended to inform the Committee’s review of Australia during its 94th session in November 2017. It has been prepared with substantial input by 26 individuals and non-government organisations (NGOs) from across Australia and endorsed by and 53 NGOs. This report seeks to address some of the key concerns and Concluding Observations made by the CERD Committee in its 2010 review of Australia and important issues that have arisen since 2010. Read the report here
May 2017
MYAN made a contribution to the Australian NGO Coalition Submission to United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Review of Australia Fifth Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
November 2016
This report presents the ideas and recommendations of more than 500 young people from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds who participated in consultations across Australia.
The report is part of a global project that aims to amplify refugee youth voices in decisions that affect them, and contributes to national and international advocacy on issues for refugee and asylum seeking young people.
The full report is available here.
Latest International News
In commemoration of the World Refugee Day, the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) Youth Working Group hosted a Refugee Youth Summit on 22nd June with the theme of “Nothing About Youth, Without Youth!”.
Supported by MYAN they brought young voices together in a 90-minute virtual summit where to dive into the value of protecting refugee rights and how YOUTH can make a difference in this climate. With an amazing line-up of panellists who explored their stories of community activism and refugee advocacy.
This summit was a space for networking, building a sense of solidarity with the refugee youth movement, and harnessing youth-led advocacy and action.
Rana Ebrahimi, MYAN’s National Manager attended the UNHCR’s Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP), bringing the voices of young people from refugee backgrounds to the forefront of global conversations. MYAN aligned with the Refugee Council of Australia’s NGO statement for 2024, advocating for:
- Improved access to family reunion: Ensuring that refugee families can be together, as family unity is crucial for their well-being and integration.
- Enhanced support services: Providing tailored support services that address the specific needs of refugee families, including mental health, education, and employment assistance.
- Safe and humane treatment: Promoting policies that uphold the dignity and human rights of refugees, ensuring they are treated with compassion and respect.
Rana Ebrahimi, MYAN’s National Manager and Shannon White, our National Policy and Advocacy Lead attended the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) Working Group in Aotearoa New Zealand in March 2024.
This visit was an important opportunity for MYAN to engage with international counterparts, share insights, and collaborate on strategies to enhance resettlement and complementary pathways for refugees and migrants. The discussions focused on developing innovative solutions that address the unique challenges faced by multicultural youth during resettlement processes. MYAN’s participation underscored our commitment to fostering global partnerships and learning from diverse perspectives to improve the support and advocacy for multicultural youth in Australia.
As part of the 2024 Consultation on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP), MYAN was invited to host a site visit on youth settlement in Australia. The CRCP (formerly known as the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement, or ATCR) is the most important multilateral forum for UNHCR, States, NGOs, private sector representatives, academics and refugees to come together to discuss and advance resettlement issues of common interest.
In 2023, Australia took over from Ireland as the country chair of the CRCP. The Government of Australia, represented by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), is the State Chair and the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) is the NGO Co-Chair.
MYAN’s site visit showcased a dynamic day filled with informative panels, thought-provoking discussions, and the inspiring stories of young people, who shared their experiences with youth settlement in Australia, emphasised the significant impact of programs delivered by MYAN partners across various states and territories. Noteworthy programs highlighted included Shout Out, UCAN2 and Seat at the Table programs from the Centre for Multicultural Youth, the Peer2peer program from MYAN NSW and the Reconnect Program from Melaleuca Australia.
The site visit provided a platform to underscore the importance of a targeted approach to youth settlement, recognising the distinct needs of young individuals from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
Attendees from Australia and an array of international delegations from countries such as Aotearoa New Zealand, Brazil, the United States of America, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada gathered to exchange insights and best practices in supporting youth settlement efforts. This collaborative event served as a valuable opportunity to promote awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by young migrants and refugees, and to foster global cooperation in addressing their needs effectively.
Grace Edward – YCDC Co-Chair, Rana Ebrahimi – MYAN National Manager, Daniel Gamboa – CEO of New Zealand National Refugee Council, Bellamore Ndayikeze – Refugee Advocate and Seat at the Table Graduate.
MYAN had a strong presence during the CRCP plenary sessions, with various representatives taking the stage alongside notable advocates. Rana Ebrahimi, MYAN’s National Manager, shared the platform with youth advocate Daniel Gambao and Grace Edward, co-chair of the Youth CALD Disability Collective (YCDC) for a panel on Disability, Settlement and Integration. The discussions covered a range of topics including programs and initiatives for those with complex health needs and the importance of incorporating refugee youth voices in governance structures. Bellamore Ndayikeze from Perth WA highlighted the significance of building responsive and inclusive service systems for young people during the panel sessions.
MYAN is grateful to Refugee Council of Australia, Australian Department of Home Affairs, and UNHCR for their support and MYAN would like to express gratitude to the panelists including Aisha Mahdi, Mamuch Chuol, Sohaila Rahimi, Jamila Alarkan, Afia Azam, Farah Askar, Bellamore Ndayikeze, and Lal Ro Chan, as well as our NSW partner MYAN NSW for contributing to the success of the event. Collaboration with our partners Melaleuca Australia, Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania, Centre for Multicultural Youth, Multicultural Youth Queensland (SSI), Youth Affairs Council of WA also played a significant role in organising this impactful event.
“It felt really empowering to be there as a young person speaking to decision-makers…to know that our lived experience is valued and considered as expertise to impact future projects and programs”
– Sohaila Rahimi, CRCP Youth Settlement Panelist and UCAN2 recipient.
The Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) event was held this June 2022 in Geneva. MYAN was represented at the event by our National Manager, Rana Ebrahimi. The ATCR allows for open and frank dialogue and strives to produce positive outcomes by forging collaborative approaches to global resettlement. The theme for this year’s ATCR was “The overarching theme for the ATCR 2023 is “Learning in crisis: Building solutions together” and was chaired by the Government of Ireland, represented by the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and co-chaired by Nasc Ireland.
MYAN presented on the theme “Addressing gaps and building on good practice” and spoke about lessons learned from Australia in implementing reception systems for those with diverse needs as well as barriers to integration faced by youth, intersectionality, and best practices for implementing solutions to ameliorate gaps in the system. Rana also presented key findings from MYAN’s recent “Counting Us In” report, on the settlement needs of LGBTQI+ youth.
MYAN is thrilled that our work has been highlighted as an example of global good practice by youth-oriented organisations and networks in youth engagement and leadership during the COVID-19 response. MYAN’s ‘A day in the life series’ that was created during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has been selected as an example of global good practice by youth-oriented organisations and networks in youth engagement and leadership during the COVID-19 response
MYAN’s work was one of just 7 case studies selected worldwide! Very proud of MYAN’s network of young leaders and advocates, and our amazing National team.
The case studies provide useful operational guidance for organisations supporting meaningful youth engagement and leadership in response to future public health and humanitarian emergencies. The case studies provide useful operational guidance for organisations supporting meaningful youth engagement and leadership in response to future public health and humanitarian emergencies.