The role of diaspora in building resilient health systems in fragile settings: key findings and policy recommendations
Health systems in fragile and shock-prone settings face intersecting and recurrent crises, including conflict, climate-related disasters, and economic instability, which severely disrupt service delivery and system functioning. These settings are also characterised by substantial diaspora populations, driven by both voluntary and forced migration.
Diaspora have emerged as key actors in supporting both community survival and the functioning of health systems during crises. However, there is limited evidence on how diaspora contributions shape health system resilience in such settings.
This brief draws on a multi-country study by ReBUILD for Resilience, examining diaspora engagement and contributions to health system resilience across global literature and five case study countries: Sudan, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Myanmar, and Nepal.
Key recommendations include:
- Recognise diaspora as essential partners in building resilient health systems.
- Shift from ad-hoc crisis-driven engagement to strategic, system-level integration
- Adopt a whole-of-government and multistakeholder approach
- Prioritise trust-building as a foundation for effective partnerships
- Tailor engagement to political and institutional realities
- Empower diaspora, reduce barriers and create enabling conditions
Further information
There’s more on this study – The role of the diaspora in supporting health system resilience in fragile and shock-prone settings – here, including papers and other briefs .