A BRIDGE TO FIRMER GROUND: LEARNING FROM INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES TO SUPPORT PATHWAYS TO SOLUTIONS IN THE SYRIAN REFUGEE CONTEXT FULL RESEARCH REPORT MARCH 2021 The Durable Solutions Platform (DSP) aims to generate knowledge that informs and inspires forwardthinking policy and practice on the long-term future of displaced Syrians. Since its establishment in 2016, the DSP has developed research projects and supported advocacy efforts on key questions regarding durable solutions for Syrians. In addition, DSP has strengthened the capacity of civil society organizations on solutions to displacement. For more, visit https://www.dsp-syria.org/ The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute seeks to improve immigration and integration policies through authoritative research and analysis, opportunities for learning and dialogue, and the development of new ideas to address complex policy questions. The Institute is guided by the belief that countries need to have sensible, well thought- out immigration and integration policies in order to ensure the best outcomes for both immigrants and receiving communities. For more, visit https://www.migrationpolicy.org/ This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP II) for Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, which is supported by the Czech Republic, Denmark, the European Union, Ireland and Switzerland. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Durable Solutions Platform and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the RDPP or its donors. A BRIDGE TO FIRMER GROUND Acknowledgements This report was authored by Camille Le Coz, Samuel Davidoff-Gore, Timo Schmidt, Susan Fratzke, Andrea Tanco, Belen Zanzuchi, and Jessica Bolter. The authors are grateful for the support and advice of Andrew Seele, Michelle Mittelstadt, and Lauren Shaw, and invaluable research and editorial assistance from Nicole Cassou, Annabel Dolan, María Jesús Mora, and Trevor Shealy. The authors are also thankful to Lana Stade and Kathryn Achilles from the Durable Solutions Platform for their substantive inputs throughout the process. The authors would like to thank the many people generously contributed their time and insights throughout the research process, including Angie Zevallos, Daniel Contreras, Adam Jacovou, María José Barth, Irving Pérez, Jason Bell, Evelyn Aero, Kaleab Zelalem Teklehaimanot, Jonathan Berezovsky, Clève Brethneve Massamba, Johanna Reina, Magali Ortiz, Ivan Jimenez, Carlos Alberto Monsalve Monje, Lucelly Ardila Casallas, Julie Pauline Bautista Mayorga, Maria Cristina Manzano Noguera, Axatala Salazar Garzón, Matthew Leonid Duarte Oviedo, Richmond Msowoya, Amayel Sow, Laurene Goublet, Stefano Santoro, and Giorgio Felici. Finally, the authors would like to thank the following individuals for their insights and feedback: Camille Strauss-Kahn, Meredith Byrne, Martin Clutterbuck, Sara Campinoti, David Glendenning, Amrei Meier, Signe Hansen, Orla Colclough, Julie Lawson-McDowall, Cate Osborn, Laura Kivelä, Valentina Bacchin, Solomon Asea, Aude Galli, Khaldoun Al Amir, Bastien Revel, Silke Handley, Chiara Lorenzini, Rula Kattan, Elina Silen, Yousra Taleb, Carina Adada, and Verena Vad. Suggested citation Durable Solutions Platform and Migration Policy Institute. March 2021. A Bridge To Firmer Ground: Learning from International Experiences to Support Pathways to Solutions in the Syrian Refugee Context. Research report. Cover picture credit: astudio 3 A BRIDGE TO FIRMER GROUND TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 14 1. Protection ...................................................................................................................... 16 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 17 2. Providing Legal Residence to Refugees .................................................................................. 19 3. Preventing and Reducing Statelessness .................................................................................. 23 4. Provide Services and Referrals from a Single Access Point ..................................................... 28 5. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 33 2. Social Protection ............................................................................................................ 34 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 35 2. Using Cash to Provide Social Assistance Transfers .................................................................. 36 3. Promoting Financial Inclusion through Social Assistance ........................................................ 40 4. Transforming National Social Safety Nets to Allow for Refugees’ Inclusion .......................... 44 5. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 52 3. Education ....................................................................................................................... 54 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 55 2. Designing and Implementing Inclusive Education Policies .................................................... 57 3. Answering the Specific Educational Needs of Refugee Students ........................................... 66 4. Higher Education and Vocational Training .............................................................................. 70 5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 74 4. Livelihoods ..................................................................................................................... 76 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 77 2. Access to the Right to Work .................................................................................................... 80 3. Decent Work Conditions for Refugees .................................................................................... 84 4. Investing in the Economic Resilience of Host Societies .......................................................... 88 5. Providing Targeted Support Activities for Refugees ............................................................... 92 6. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 96 5. Healthcare...................................................................................................................... 98 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 99 2. Health Policies and Measures Inclusive of Refugees ............................................................. 101 3. Investing in the Resilience of Health Systems in Host Societies ........................................... 106 4. Support for Specialized Care for Refugees (Maternal and Neonatal Care) ........................... 111 5. Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 116 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 118 Annex. Methodology ....................................................................................................... 119 5 Photo by: Louise Wateridge EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ten years on from the start of the conflict in their country, Syrians remain the largest refugee population worldwide.1 Countries hosting refugees from Syria continue to be among those with the largest numbers of refugees per capita globally. For example, Syrian refugees represent one in six people in Lebanon and 5 percent of total population in Jordan and Turkey. In total, these three countries, plus the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), had nearly 5.5 million Syrian refugees living within their borders as of 2021.2 Accessing legal status, social protection, education, employment, and healthcare continues to be difficult for these refugees, and many face increased vulnerabilities because of their forced displacement. As their prospects of resettlement to another country are very limited and conditions in Syria do not yet allow for a safe, dignified, and sustainable return, exploring ways to promote local solutions for refugees, as well as to improve social cohesion with host communities, is critical. Indeed, the need for policies and programs to effectively advance these aims has become even more urgent since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has put health systems and local economies under immense strain and forced schools and other systems to radically change their operations. This study, developed by the Durable Solutions Platform (DSP) and the