Supported by UNHCR

Events

To ensure cross-sector global coordination, communication, and collaboration to identify and innovate opportunities to address refugee accommodation and housing challenges, the Global Refugee Accommodation Working Group organizes different types of events.

GRAWG hosts both virtual and in-person meetings annually and participates in UNHCR’s annual Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) in-person meetings.

Partners with UNHCR and CRCP planning committee to ensure housing and accommodation remain on the agenda of the CRCP.
Organizes activities in pursuit of Working Group deliverables, including 2-4 events per year covering promising concrete solutions to housing issues.

The group convenes its members and other key housing stakeholders globally in a forum that meets regularly for sharing and learning.

Through webinars and symposia, the group provides space for the sharing and discussion of innovative affordable and safe housing models, responses, and solutions for refugees and other persons in need of protection.

The group also helps organize sessions on housing at annual Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) meetings and the CRCP conference held each year in Geneva, Switzerland.

Past Events

Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) & Concept Kick-off/Co-Chair Agreement

Geneva, Switzerland | June 2023

ATCR participants agreed to establish a dedicated working group on Affordable Safe Housing (ASH), identified as a key challenge.

Initial Global Refugee Accommodation Working Group Kick-off Meeting

Virtual | 29 November 2023

In this meeting, the group’s mission and terms of reference were agreed on by the group’s inaugural members.

Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (formerly the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement) Working Group Meeting

Sydney, Australia | 26-29 February 2024

The group organized a break-out session on accommodation solutions, showcasing the different kinds of successful approaches that already exist to address the issue of housing. The session featured speakers from the Norwegian government, a Swedish architecture firm focusing on cost-effective repurposing of old office buildings, and a U.S. real estate investment firm devoted to buying and renting properties to resettled refugees.

Global Refugee Accommodation Solutions Symposium

Virtual | 16 May 2024

The symposium featured speakers from the fields of finance, architecture, government, academia, and policy who shared concrete solutions and models. The symposium opened new avenues for fresh thinking and new collaborations in the resettlement housing context.

Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) Annual Conference

Geneva, Switzerland | 4-7 June 2024

The group organized an informal session gathering group members to discuss the achievements, direction, and future work of the group. The group also organized a break-out session on accommodation solutions featuring speakers from the Belgian and U.S. governments, UNHCR Nordic and Baltic countries, and a former refugee resettled to Ireland.

Housing Challenges and Solutions from the Small Resettlement State Perspective

Webinar | 24 September 2024

In this webinar, three smaller resettlement states (New Zealand, Ireland, and Norway) took center stage and discussed their unique as well as shared challenges, solutions, and models around refugee housing.

Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) Working Group Meeting

Madrid, Spain | 12-14 February 2025

The group organized two sessions on accommodation and resettlement both as a moderator and panelist focusing on accommodation solutions as well as the role local authorities play in housing and integration. A highlight of the working group for GRAWG was the opportunity to showcase the soft launch of the first country completed for the innovative refugee housing journey project, an interactive and engaging digital journey in which users follow fictional refugees as they navigate through different resettlement programs and learn about their accommodation experiences.

Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) Annual Conference

Geneva, Switzerland | 25-27 June 2025

The Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP), formerly the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement, bring together UNHCR, States, NGOs, refugees, and other stakeholders to discuss and advance issues related to resettlement and other durable migration pathways for refugees.

Global Refugee Accommodation Working Group (GRAWG) Symposium

Virtual | 22 January 2026

The purpose of this session was to engage in an exchange of ideas and dialogue on key themes of interest to GRAWG Members and an overview of GRAWG state of affairs, achievements, and priorities going forward.

Upcoming Events

Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) Side Meeting

GENEVA | 17 JUNE 2026

The massive changes to the international protection system in the past few years present immense challenges. Yet, the need to find durable solutions for displaced populations has not abated. Even with all the changes, finding housing for refugees and other vulnerable migrants remains a key challenge and priority because — no matter where they are — displaced people need safe, affordable, and decent housing. Moreover, the next humanitarian crisis cannot be predicted, necessitating the surging of temporary and/or permanent accommodation. This further highlights the continued importance of housing. In this GRAWG side meeting, we will discuss the current state of the Working Group, its achievements, ambitions, and future given this new reality.

Supported by UNHCR

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