Pathways to Protection

Pathways to Protection (P2P) is a Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) funded project led by DRC in partnership with the Danish Red Cross and the International Detention Coalition. Running from 2025 to 2029, P2P operates across ten countries on the Central, Western, and Eastern Mediterranean migration routes. The project strengthens protection services for people on the move. The Diaspora Programme leads the diaspora component, supporting diaspora organizations to deliver trusted protection information.

About Pathways to Protection

Pathways to Protection (P2P) is a Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) funded project led by DRC in partnership with the Danish Red Cross and the International Detention Coalition.

The project is implemented across ten countries along the Central, Western, and Eastern Mediterranean migration routes, with the goal of enhancing protection systems and services for people on the move.

A core part of P2P is the diaspora component, led by DRC’s Diaspora Programme. Building on years of experience and proven results, this component partners with five diaspora organisations to deliver essential protection information to displaced populations.

These partnerships combine DRC’s protection expertise and field presence with the cultural credibility, trust, and reach of transnational diaspora networks.

The aim of the diaspora component is to improve access to rights-based information, enable safer and informed decisions, and reduce protection risks.

The Role of Diaspora in Mixed Migration

Diaspora are often the first and most trusted source of information for people considering migration. According to the Mixed Migration Centre, more than 60% of migrants seek guidance from friends and family abroad before departure - and many continue to rely on them throughout their journey.

Diaspora-led information campaigns offer unique reach and impact by providing trusted, relevant information through both digital channels and personal networks. These campaigns often outperform traditional messaging because they are rooted in cultural understanding, shared experience, and personal trust.

In addition, diaspora actors play a vital role in offering remote emotional support and helping migrants access legal aid, healthcare, and psychosocial services through direct referrals.

How we work with Diaspora Partners

Through P2P, DRC engages diaspora partners using a collaborative model. DRC mobilizes capable partners based on concept notes, which are then developed collaboratively between DRC and the diaspora organisations.

Selected partners receive technical and financial support, as well as tailored capacity building in protection, psychosocial first aid, advocacy, digital outreach, and communication strategy.

Campaigns focus on providing information about rights, risks, and available services along migration routes. They are delivered through social media, messaging apps, community events, and print materials - always adapted to the preferred platforms and languages of the target audiences.

Every campaign is informed by data from DRC’s field teams and the Mixed Migration Centre’s 4Mi platform. This ensures that messages are both context-specific and flexible enough to respond to evolving migration trends and protection needs.

Meet our Diaspora Partners

ARSA - Asylum Seekers and Refugees Solidarity Association, Türkiye

ARSA is a civil society organization founded in 2009 in Türkiye. It provides support to refugees and asylum seekers from various countries through legal aid, education, cultural and social programs, and advocacy. ARSA is active across 62 provinces in Türkiye.

Our work focuses on:

Community-based psychosocial support
Legal awareness and access to services
Women and youth leadership
Anti-trafficking awareness and safeguarding

Supporting Afghan Refugees with Protection, Mental Health, and Legal Information

Through the P2P Project, ARSA will share accurate information on protection, mental health, and legal aid with Afghan refugee communities in Central Türkiye, specifically focusing on Afghan youth, women and mothers. The project focuses on strengthening psychological resilience, raising awareness on trafficking and misinformation, and linking to access to protection and mental health services.

ARSEREM - Association of Senegalese Nationals Residing in Morocco, Morocco

ARSEREM is a non-profit, apolitical, and volunteer-run organization rooted in the Senegalese community in Morocco. Through 14 community hubs across the country, they bring people together, strengthen ties between Senegal and Morocco, and ensure migrants have access to the support and information they need. Their community-driven approach covers legal and administrative assistance, economic engagement, and regular outreach events and awareness sessions.

Reaching Senegalese Migrants through trusted community networks

Through the P2P Project, ARSEREM will utilize its community hubs to inform Senegalese migrants in Morocco about regular migration pathways, the risks of irregular migration, and available support services. They will focus on linking to psychosocial support, legal aid, and access to healthcare, helping people make safe and informed decisions.

ASCC - Afghanistan Studies & Cooperation Center, Germany

Afghanistan Studies & Cooperation Center e.V. (ASCC) is a Bonn-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Afghan communities in Europe. Its vision is to foster inclusive, resilient, and well-integrated communities, while its mission focuses on promoting education, cultural exchange, and sustainable integration pathways for migrants and refugees.

ASCC works to strengthen social cohesion and improve access to opportunities by providing language support, capacity-building initiatives, labour market orientation, and community engagement activities. Through its work, ASCC aims to empower individuals, enhance participation in social and economic life, and contribute to positive and constructive dialogue within host societies.

Reliable information for Afghan asylum seekers and refugees

Through the P2P project, ASCC will provide reliable information and practical support for Afghan asylum seekers and refugees in Germany. ASCC will raise awareness of asylum procedures and legal aid options, help people make informed decisions, combat misinformation, and strengthen dialogue between Afghan refugees and the diaspora across Europe.

ROUYA - For Relief & Development, Türkiye

ROUYA is a Syrian civil society organization registered in Türkiye, implementing cross-border activities between Türkiye and Syria since 2016. Based in Gaziantep, ROUYA works across food security, protection, shelter, WASH, and education.

Countering misinformation and protecting vulnerable Syrians in Türkiye

Through the P2P Project, ROUYA will work with displaced Syrians in Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, with a focus on the most vulnerable: women, youth, unaccompanied minors, and families facing heightened protection risks. Using a combination of digital outreach and community engagement, ROUYA will counter misinformation, address psychological distress, and promote access to accurate, culturally appropriate protection information.

SVO - Sudan Volunteer Organisation, Chad & Sudan

SVO is a refugee-led, non-profit organization founded by refugee youth in Sweden in 2016. Operating under the slogan "Refugee for Refugee," SVO has built a network of more than 25,000 Sudanese refugee volunteers who support fellow refugees across Libya, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, and Uganda. Their work spans education, empowerment, protection, and development, driven by the belief that refugees are powerful agents of change in their own communities.

Informing Sudanese Refugees and IDPs about safe migration, protection risks and reliable sources

Through the P2P Project, SVO will reach Sudanese refugees in Eastern Chad, in both refugee camps and host communities, as well as internally displaced people in Northern Sudan. With a strong focus on women and girls, and actively including men, SVO will provide information on safe migration practices and routes, and how to access protection, health, and legal services. A key part of their work will also focus on countering misinformation and raising awareness of human trafficking risks.