Leveraging the Power of Business to Amplify Refugee Narratives
Leveraging the Power of Business to Amplify Refugee Narratives
In response to today’s harmful narratives surrounding refugees, UNHCR organized the GRF-linked event Empowering the Refugee Narrative: Exploring the Impact of Business and Media on Positive Change (flyer of the event) to explore innovative initiatives and best practices from the private sector, refugees in journalism and leading media that pave the way for an ethical and unbiased narrative and coverage of refugees, ensuring their authentic voices take center stage in the public discourse.
In the first part of the event, Leveraging the Power of Business to Amplify Refugee Narratives, using a workshop format, corporations together with refugees discussed how businesses can go beyond traditional philanthropy and become social advocates for refugee rights and raise awareness of forced displacement utilizing their platforms, products, and reach.
The event was opened by the moderator and keynote speaker Aleksejs Ivashuk, founder of Apatride Network, who highlighted the big role people who experienced forced displacement first-hand can have in creating solutions and how crucial it is to include these voices in conversations with governments and private sector.
Then the floor was taken by three UNHCR corporate partners who had the opportunity to share how they leverage their reach and resources to positively influence the refugee narrative.
Finally, the proper workshop took place. Nine groups mixing refugees and corporations worked together to brainstorm 9 new and different ideas about how the private sector can contribute to changing the negative narratives that are too often unfairly used to portray refugees.