Migration

Legal and political framworks and political frameworks fall short of responding to current and future challenges for the protection of refugees and migrants. Existing approaches do not respond sufficiently to increasing needs whilst considering the participation and choice of refugees and migrants. We support projects and initiatives that address challenges within the current protection system and contribute to the development and implementation of alternative, long-term approaches and instruments for the protection of refugees and migrants.

New technologies will fundamentally change cross-border mobility and migration management. They are already being employed in different areas of migration management, for example via digital identity solutions or AI-powered automated decision making. We want to contribute to an employment of technologies in the area of migration that respect human dignity. To this end, we support the creation of new social and political spaces, processes, and ideas that can accompany and shape these developments.

Civil society, academia, think tanks, the private sector, and cities increasingly contribute to regional and global migration governance. City leaders from around the world, in particular, together with other local actors, have championed inclusive urban policies that benefit all residents. However, their valuable local experiences are often not reflected in migration policy making processes. We aim to strengthen and diversify city diplomacy in the migration field, and support practice-oriented research, focusing on the role and needs of intermediary cities.

Climate change and environmental degradation are depriving many people of their livelihoods and increasingly influence international migration patterns. We seek to identify sustainable, human-centered solutions that enhance the resilience of vulnerable populations and societies affected by climate change. To this end, we support innovative approaches in particularly affected areas, advance the knowledge base on the topic and strengthen cross-sectoral exchange to contribute to international and national policymaking. Our focus lies on the African continent, which is highly affected by environmental changes due to climate change.