The workshop is part of the project DARE – Democratic Action of Refugees in Europe realised by the Human Rights Cities Network with the support of ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy and co-funded by the European Union.
The main goal of the project is to promote the participation of first-time voters with refugee background in the upcoming EU elections, and to enhance their democratic engagement at local level beyond the 2024 EU Elections.
Aim of the project
Given the current backsliding of democracy in Europe and the importance of voting to safeguard democracy, it is essential to uphold electoral rights of all citizens in the upcoming European Elections. There is an urgent need to engage the first-time voters with refugee background.
The participation of refugees in the democratic processes, including in the forthcoming European Union (EU) Elections, is crucial for fostering active citizenship and ensuring the representation of diverse voices in decision-making processes.
This project focuses on a specific topic that is rarely considered in election campaigns and in the conversations about active citizenship, namely the participation of people with refugee background who have recently obtained citizenship in an EU country. Former refugees who sought asylum in the EU during the so called “refugee crisis” in 2015-2016 have become eligible for the acquisition of citizenship in their host countries those who have obtained it will be first time voters in EU Parliament elections in June 2024.
Their voices matter not only to ensure the representation of their interests but also for the quality of European democracy. Therefore, it is fundamental to encourage them to be informed and to participate in the elections, but also to follow up with specific actions at policy level to reinforce the sense of belonging to the EU after the 2024 EU Elections.
The inclusive participation of this underrepresented group in the democratic life responds to two key priorities:
- To enhance their understanding of their fundamental human rights and promote EU rights and values at the local level;
- To build awareness of the EU’s role and enhance its impact at the community level.
A few facts
There is no official data showing the total number of people with refugee background who have recently acquired the citizenship of an EU country and are eligible to vote at EU elections for the first time.
This in itself shows the lack of representation of this segment of society and the urgent need to engage with them. Among the target group of first-time voters with refugee background, there are young people under 30 and women, and therefore mainstreaming gender equality and youth participation in decision-making will be part of all project stages.
By focusing on first time voters with refugee background, the project addresses their human rights and their needs linked to inclusion and democratic participation, while applying an intersectional approach based on equality and anti-discrimination.
The activities of the project are in line with the three thematic hubs priorities and will contribute to their achievement and positive social change.
Project Activities:
How can we enhance democratic participation beyond elections?
On 10 October 2024, Human Rights Cities Network hosted an online discussion entitled “Democracy beyond Elections: Exchange of Good Practices for Enhancing the Democratic Participation of People with Migration and Refugee Background”. During this interactive dialogue, civil society representatives, activists, local authorities, and academia joined us to address challenges faced by migrants and refugees in
Policy Paper : ENHANCING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION OF CITIZENS WITH ENHANCING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION OF CITIZENS WITH MIGRATION AND REFUGEE MIGRATION AND REFUGEE BACKGROUND
To better understand how to enhance democratic participation of citizens with migration and refugee Background, the Human Rights Cities Network organized an online discussion entitled “ Democracy beyond Elections: Exchange of Good Practices for Enhancing the Democratic Participation of People with Migration and Refugee Background”. This was done as part of the DARE – Democratic
Democracy beyond Elections: Exchange of Good Practices for Enhancing the Democratic Participation of People with Migration and Refugee Background
Do you think democratic participation is more than voting on election day? Do you want to exchange good practices to promote democratic participation of people with migration and refugee background? Do you want to explore how human rights monitoring can enhance democratic participation? If YES, this event is for YOU ! The Human Rights
Democracy Beyond Elections: Enhancing the Democratic Participation of EU Citizens with Migration and Refugee Background
Are you an EU citizen with migration or refugee background who was a first time voter in the June 2024 EU elections ? Are you passionate about democratic participation? The Human Rights Cities Network invites you to participate in a one day event, in Brussels, to meet and dialogue with decision-makers from EU institutions
Webinar DARE article version Française – Renforcer la participation des primo-votants issus de l’immigration aux élections du Parlement Européen
Le 27 mai 2024, le Human Rights Cities Network (HRCN) – réseau des villes des droits humains – a organisé un webinaire pour sensibiliser les nouveaux électeurs issus de l’immigration aux élections du Parlement Européen (PE): pour quelles raisons devraient-ils voter et de quelle manière peuvent-ils le faire. L’objectif est de s’assurer que les voix
DARE Webinar article – Enhancing the Participation of First-Time Voters with Refugee Background in the European Parliament Elections
Versione italiana Version Française On 27 May 2024, Human Rights Cities Network (HRCN) hosted a webinar to raise awareness amongst first time voters with refugee backgrounds about the European Parliament elections, why they should vote, and how they can do it. The aim is to ensure that the voices of first-time voters with refugee backgrounds