Mandate and mission

The SDC's Network Migration and Forced Displacement has mainly three functions:

1. Capacity-Building and Institutional Learning

The network provides institutional capacity-building and learning offers. This is mainly done through the organisation of peer exchanges within the Core Group Migration and Forced and within thematic workstreams. The network also organises briefings and trainings on the topic.

Peer-exchange Platforms

The Core Group Migration is a SDC internal group consisting of thematic regional advisors and migration focal points from different SDC units. They support the integration of migration topics into their respective units and bring valuable policy and operational perspectives to the network. The group plays a crucial role in steering the overall network activities.

Thematic Workstreams are SDC internal peer exchanges around a specific topic that allow for deep dives into a theme and for creating joint understanding. Depending on the need, a workstream may also offer trainings and create a platform to elaborate guidance material, map operational work and good practices.

• Workstream on Durable Solution (active)

  The Workstreams brings together FDFA staff including members of the Swiss Humanitarian Corps to exchange on policy developments and practical experiences in Durable Solutions and to document Swiss approaches to it. Trainings and deep dives into interlinked topics such as urban solutions and peace considerations in Durable Solutions are organised.

• Workstream on Climate Change related Mobility (completed)

  The Workstream (April 2022-Dec 2024) brought together FDFA staff to gain further insights into the intersection of the two topics, mapping relevant policy and operational SDC work in the field and clarifying Switzerland's positioning.

  • SDC factsheet on climate change related mobility

    PDF478.76 kB3 January 2024

  • SDC potential interventions in climate change related mobility

    PDF285.17 kB3 January 2024

  • SDC thematic integration brief: Climate, DRR, environment and migration and displacement

    PDF573.40 kB2 April 2025

• Workstream on Financial Inclusion of Migrants and Forcibly Displaced Persons (completed)

  The Workstream (March 2023-June 2024) offered a platform for exchange and learning  touching on the following aspects: Basic concepts on financial inclusion, linkages between cash transfers, social protection, and financial inclusion, supply and demand barriers, risks and opportunities of working with the private sector, as well as the role of digitalisation.

  • Learning journey on financial inclusion of migrants and forcibly displaced persons

    Between April 2023 and June 2024, SDC ran a Learning Journey on financial inclusion for migrants and displaced persons, summarised here through key insights from each session.

    PDF2.15 MB8 January 2024

If you wish to join the Core Group or a workstream, please register. You must have an @eda.admin.ch email address. For now, we are keeping the group internal to the FDFA.

2. Thematic Advisory

The network provides on-demand advisory services in terms of development of or review of SDC programs, capitalizations and more, relying primarily on in-house expertise. In addition, it supports policy dialogue by linking field-related activities with global initiatives and policy processes.

3. Institutional Anchoring

With migration having become a priority topic for Switzerland's International Cooperation in 2020, the network has been strongly invested in the in-house anchoring of the theme by developing necessary institutional guidance and tools, in shaping the political narrative and responding to public and parliamentary inquiries.