RAISD addresses the need for effective strategies for the attention and inclusion of distinctively Vulnerable Groups among Forcibly Displaced People (FDP). Forced displacement due to wars, armed conflicts, terrorism and persecution of minorities with diverse ethnic, religious, sexual orientation background, and most recently even climate change, are generating a constantly growing number of people fleeing from their homes, some heading abroad, others to internal displacement. Today, the number of FDP around the world is more than 89,3 million persons, including refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons.
Among the most vulnerable (such as single women with small children, old people, disabled persons, etc.) that flee from their homes, the difficulties, dangers and suffering during the transit and arrival to hosting countries become more severe. However, it is the context that makes people vulnerable. Most of the current assistance programs and strategies are too general and lack a personalized view of the most vulnerable publics. They tend to be reactive, partial and disregard some groups.
RAISD project’s overall objective is to identify these groups, their specific challenges and needs, to be able to discover and provide Tailored Attention and Inclusion Strategies (TAIS) for them. The main working hypothesis in the project is that effective and appropriate strategies of attention and inclusion to Vulnerable Groups of Forcibly Displaced Persons need to be tailored to their specific Vulnerability Context.
Seven locally based Action Research Units (ARUs) were the key drivers of research work and part of the main sources of information (Spain, Italy, Finland, Hungary, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon). The ARUs are represented by all types of stakeholders, following the principle of Quintuple Helix used in Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). This approach includes stakeholders from civil society (including displaced people), academy, education, businesses and policy makers.
The triangular research method, that combines RRI principles, action research techniques and socio-ecological models, is highly collaborative and co-creative and therefore allows that FDP take an active first-hand role, not only to record their experiences, but also in the design of the project’s work plan and to evaluate outcomes. RRI frames the project, being visible in the co-creation of the R&I activities, the transversal application of gender perspective as well as the ethics of the project, among others.
