Innovation for Peace and Justice

Challenge Overview

The world is currently seeing the highest levels of forced displacement on record. There are now almost 71 million people who have been forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations - including nearly 26 million refugees, half of whom are under the age of 18. Worldwide, one person is forcibly displaced every two seconds. To ensure that this rapidly increasing number of people are able to lead healthy and productive lives for themselves, equitable access to services such as legal protection programs, healthcare, and education is key.

Refugees and forcibly displaced populations face a host of challenges throughout their migratory journey. Many forcibly displaced people, especially those that leave their home countries entirely, have to navigate complex legal systems with limited access to legal assistance and representation. Millions of those forcibly displaced end up living in places containing poor water and sanitation infrastructure, and are subsequently vulnerable to significant health risks like communicable diseases and malnutrition. Further, of the 7.4 million school-age refugee children globally, more than half are not in school - with 63 percent enrolled in primary school, 24 percent in secondary school, and only 3 percent in higher education.

Globally, one in every 108 people is either an asylum-seeker, a refugee, or internally displaced. In our increasingly interconnected world, forced displacement cannot be treated as a short-term humanitarian issue, nor can it be addressed by just one country or sector. The Global Maker Challenge on Innovation for Peace and Justice aims to find and support innovative solutions that will connect refugees and forcibly displaced populations with enduring and effective legal, healthcare, and education services. To do so, the Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity welcomes applications from innovators and makers around the world that will:

  • Increase access to reliable and cost-effective legal support
  • Reduce health risks among displaced populations through expanded access to healthcare and improved water and sanitation infrastructure that ensures safe delivery of drinking water and disposal of waste
  • Reduce barriers to education and skills training for displaced youth

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