Economic Integration of Refugees and Migrants in Armenia
Undergraduates: Ana Dougherty, Emily Venturi
Faculty Advisor: Niklaus Steiner
Department: Economics
Our presentation will explore the critical role played by the private sector in promoting economic opportunities for refugees and migrants. Our research explores the following questions: What are the barriers to economic integration of refugees and migrants, and what role can impact investing play in overcoming these barriers and creating economic opportunities for refugees and migrants? In recent years many Syrian-Armenians have been seeking asylum in Armenia and have been granted citizenship almost immediately due to their ethnic ties to Armenia. This presentation will explore the particularities of the Syrian-Armenian experience with regard to economic opportunities and economic integration. We will be conducting field research from March 11-19 in Yerevan, Armenia, in cooperation with the Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF). This fieldwork is being funded by a grant from the Morehead-Cain Foundation. SEAF, as a mission-driven corporation, is dedicated to bringing investments and entrepreneurial training into emerging markets and marginalized communities that are traditionally underserved in terms of international capital opportunities and partnerships. We are researching the entrepreneurial, business, and NGO environment, as well as migration management conditions in Yerevan. This presentation will highlight our research on mission-driven private investment (¿¿¿impact investing¿¿¿) and its role in the effort to integrate refugees and migrants into local economies.