Migrants' organisations with a development policy commitment: Potential for integration in Germany? , Date: 2012.05.14, Order number: FFFB14, format: Research report, area: Authority

Migrants' organisations are committed in very many ways: They support their members in their everyday lives, and are active at political level to encourage co-existence between Germans and migrants. What is more, they frequently play a role in development policy through activities such as aid projects and by organising donations to their countries of origin, or they help create an awareness in Germany of the development policy situation in their countries of origin.

Migrants’ organisations with a development policy commitment and integration

This commitment for the country of origin frequently takes place in addition to work on integration policy in Germany, and reflects ongoing connections with the country of origin which often exist parallel to integration in Germany. Moreover, commitment for the country of origin may also help create potentials for integration through cooperation between Germans and migrants for development policy goals which sets in motion reciprocal learning processes and builds up cooperation networks with other organisations, as well as with agencies of the German State.

Migrants’ organisations however also come up against obstacles in their commitment to development policy goals. The potential funding frequently cannot be fully exploited since a great number of migrants’ organisations are not aware of what is available. A lack of premises poses practical challenges to migrants’ organisations.

Qualitative study with varied results

This study explores the development policy commitment of migrants’ organisations in qualitative terms for its integration policy aspects, and a survey was carried out among 24 migrants’ organisations. The results of the research show the motives and the many different forms of development policy commitment for the country of origin and emphasise in what way this commitment is relevant to integration.

The results of the study moreover indicate the obstacles facing migrants’ organisations. Building on this, options are developed in support of such migrants’ organisations.

The research report was drawn up by: Marianne Haase and Bettina Müller

The report is only available in German.

This download is available in other languages, too.

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