Global Refugee Forum 2023 Linked event

On the evening of 14 December 2023, the FRUN hosted a reception celebrating support for the Multistakeholder Pledge Supporting Refugee Family Reunification. The Multistakeholder Pledge aims to help at least 1 million refugees reunite with their families by 2030 and is mobilising support from a growing community of stakeholders, committed to ensuring refugees can access their right to family unity. 

Held at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, the event opened with introductory remarks from Red Cross Red Crescent leaders and a powerful testimony from refugee delegate, Aresu Rabbani, on the critical importance of preserving and restoring family unity. Miles4Migrants introduced the Multistakeholder Pledge with an inspiring call for action and an individual commitment to facilitate the reunification of 70,0000 refugee families (by 2030). State leads, the Governments of Brazil and Portugal followed, announcing pledges to improve exiting mechanisms to realise the right to family unity for refugees (Brazil) and streamline family reunification procedures as a crucial dimension of the integration process (Portugal).  The EUAA also announced a pledge to provide administrative and logistical support to EU Member States to facilitate family reunification. UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection closed by reiterating the commitment of UNHCR to work with States and other partners to promote effective family reunification procedures.

The event concluded with a high energy series of spontaneous pledge announcements from some of the other Multistakeholder pledge supporters, showcasing the diversity of stakeholders committed to improving access to family reunification. This included significant contributions from donors, legal providers, NGOs and Refugee-Led Organisations to provide services and work together to build systems of support for refugee families reunite. There were also expressions of support from the private sector, including a pioneering pledge from Iberia to fly refugees to Spain for the purposes of family reunification.