ARC Ethiopia SUMMARY: This project (December 2016-December 2021) tries to address the root causes of migration for both refugees and Ethiopian Youths. The programme plans to advocate with the private sector for gender equality in employment. This means that women have an equal chance to qualify for a job. It also means that they receive equal pay for the same work what their male colleagues are doing. The programme takes into account the legal, social and cultural barriers that limit Ethiopian young women’s access to and participation in the labour market. In this way the programme strives to be gender transformative. Training programmes are designed based on gender sensitive analyses and tailored to the specific male/female needs. 50% of project beneficiaries are intended to be young women (18-35 years of age).
The programmes is implemented by a consortium led by ZOA; whereas NRC and IMC are partners as well. Of the total refugee and asylum seeker population in Ethiopia, an estimated 49.7% are women and girls and 56.7% are children. However a considerable proportion of particularly the Eritrean young refugees are male, ready to engage in further migration despite the immense risks. Gender disparities among the ‘source population’ in the camps (men more likely to be single, while the majority of women is married) suggest that men are more likely to leave on their own, to try their luck abroad. 
The urban area of Addis Ababa, hosting the largest number of refugees, is facing various urban challenges such as weak and poorly developed economic base, deepening poverty and unemployment, acute of housing shortage, rapid proliferation of squatter settlements, poorly developed infrastructure. This combined with the rapid urban population growth - expected to reach 6,37 million inhabitancy by 2030 - and increasing number of refugees is putting the city under an alarming development pressure, failing to provide its citizen with adequate service and employment opportunities provision. The programme facilitates an environment that allows young Ethiopians and refugees to contribute to the sustainable improvement of the lives of Ethiopians and migrants in Ethiopia. This reduces the likelihood of onward movement. This enabling environment is created by: (1) improving legal frameworks that shape options available to refugees; (2) targeting the people at risk of migration in their current environment and providing opportunities for employment; (3) connecting them to basic services; and (4) focusing on realistic information sharing to the people at risk so they are able to make informed decisions on migration and destination countries, including awareness raising on harmful practices. There is a clear interplay between the defined outcomes. A proper legal framework for migration needs to be accompanied by initiatives that provide better economic opportunities; these opportunities thrive when legal frameworks are clear and favourable. Despite good economic prospects, the lack of quality basic services can force people into migration. Even when all aspects of daily life are favourable, people continue to dream of a better life elsewhere. Therefore, all programme outcomes are necessary to really make potential migrants stay and build a life in the place where they are.
This programme is based on the main assumption that limited prospects for social and economic empowerment is an important incentive for youth (female and male) to seek a better future elsewhere. Also, migrants in Ethiopia are seriously hampered in their ability to build their lives due to legal restrictions and lack of access to basic services. This programme aims to address these gaps by enhancing the youth’s (both Ethiopian and migrant) access to employment opportunities. The programme is not be implemented in a vacuum. There are several organisations or institutions, which are not part of the consortium, but have a more or less direct link with the realisation of the programme outcomes. These so-called boundary partner organisations implement activities and interventions that support or link with the outcomes of the programme. Some of these interventions are necessary for the programme outcome, while other interventions can contribute to it.
Most important boundary organisations are government institutions, humanitarian organisations and institutional donors. Together these organisations form a tight knit network that provides basic services to refugees and the most vulnerable groups in the Ethiopian society. This support should not dwindle as most of the programme’s beneficiaries depend on these services. The programme will actively seek synergy with activities of these organisations. For example, in the refugee camps there are programmes that stimulate livelihoods activities and provide Vocational Skills training (VST). Participants in these programmes would benefit even more if they can connect with private sector initiatives outside the camps. Moreover, including TVET institutes in the VST programmes in the camps would be mutual beneficial as the TVET institutes can expand their reach and the VST would improve in quality. Young Ethiopian and Eritrean and Somali refugees residing in Addis Ababa and their families. xisting legal frameworks and their implementation in Ethiopia hamper the free movement of refugees and their ability to build their lives. In this context, the programme focuses on supporting ARRA and government institutions to provide clarity on the OCP and explore revisions to make the OCP a more sustainable option for refugees, which facilitates self-reliance among refugees. When necessary, the programme builds the capacity of authorities in charge of implementing migration policies, so that they are able to do their tasks in an enhanced and inclusive manner. As the OCP is a sensitive topic, a cautious approach will be followed, showcasing that a productive refugee population is beneficial and in line with Ethiopian government priorities. The first step in this approach is to negotiate local solutions with local government and private sector representatives. When from these solutions good practices can be derived, they will be documented and disseminated to relevant stakeholders. This soft advocacy comprises sharing good practices, highlighting benefits of a more inclusive OCP on national security by being able to register currently 'illegal' individuals into a formal system. Also, the programme intends to build capacities of officials that are in charge of implementing legislation related to migration.
The programme focuses on refugees and youth at risk of migration that are concentrated in urban and peri-urban areas. In each area, the programme contributes to the creation of (self) employment opportunities. The programme collaborates with major stakeholders, such as local chambers of commerce, private sector, training institutions, government authorities and knowledge institutes to increase employment opportunities for youth, both through enhancing youth employment in growing economic sectors and entrepreneurship. This will be achieved by creating round tables through which young potential migrants are able to access information on training and employment opportunities. These round tables will also function as a mechanism to adjust the trainings to the needs of the market and match youth to jobs. Moreover, the programme stimulates creation of small businesses, based on local value chain studies focusing on gaps and opportunities in the sub-sector. Collaboration with government authorities is sought in facilitating the promotion of local entrepreneurship. 
Entrepreneurial and vocational training is offered to the target group. These trainings are tailor-made on the needs and aspirations of the participants and designed on the basis of market assessments. Young people, interested in setting up businesses, are assisted by tailor-made training (incl. business plan development) as well as start-up materials and when necessary accompanied by financial institutions (incl. VSLA or provision of seed capital). Additionally, through the networks, businessmen are linked to the youth providing guidance during job placements and business start-ups. 
The programme mainly assumes a brokering role between service providers and migrants. Through its awareness raising activities, the programme refers potential beneficiaries towards various service providers in their vicinity. The consortium will advocate with (Federal) government authorities and donor agencies to allocate funds to the provision of basic services to refugees and citizens.
In various manners, the programme sends out information to young people at risk of migration. This information helps them to make informed decisions about their future and potential dangers and consequences of irregular migration. The first instrument in this strategy is the creation of platforms and facilitation of linkages with existing networks for interactive dialogue and information sharing. Within these platforms, potential migrants, diaspora and repatriated migrants exchange information on risks of migration and difficulties within the host country, for example through participatory video projects, social media and hotline services. Another instrument in the strategy is the use of mass media to bring across the message of the real migration story. The programme actively seeks participation in TV and radio shows and approaches the mass media with video messages and IEC materials. Any change in the implementation of the OCP needs to be supported and sustained by changes in the legal framework related to labour and migration. Therefore, to ensure legislative sustainability, the programme will work with ARRA to explore what possibilities may arise to influence policy at Regional State and Federal State level. 
Financial and organisational conditions are important. For this reason, round tables will be organised and information centres will be established. Although these structures will be low-cost, they still require some investment of its users. Also one of the stakeholders will need to coordinate these structures after project closure. Therefore, the programme will involve them in already the set up of the structures by jointly creating the frameworks in terms of financial management and organisational responsibilities. The hand-over of responsibilities will take place gradually, but most important in hand-over is that final responsible stakeholder(s) are involved in laying the foundations for the structures. 
The sustainability of social acceptance is embedded in messaging youth at risk for irregular migration and their families about the dangers related to migration. As these messages aim to influence expectations and behaviour of the target groups, the programme will make sure that the messages are at the appropriate level, are verifiable and connect to the real information needs of the target group. Actors who can play a positive and supporting role in this are organisations representing diaspora and repatriates and religious and traditional leaders.