Diaspora in the Caribbean

Transcription

1 , Civil Society and the Diaspora in the a look at the Diaspora and its role in philanthropy in the A Report of the Prepared by: Karen Johns March 2010

2 This publication is a product of the (CPN) and was made possible by the generous support of the Ford Foundation (Ford Foundation Grant # , June 2008-June 2010). This report was prepared for CPN by: Karen Johns The is a project of the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, which provided administrative and coordination services for the CPN during the term of the Ford Foundation grant. For further information about the, contact: c/o Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Post Office Box St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Telephone:

3 Table of Contents Executive Summary iv 1. Diaspora Data and Demographics 1 2. The Role of Remittances 2 3. The Role of Multinationals in building capacity 3 in Diaspora networks 4. The Role of Diaspora Organizations in 4 5. The Role of Governments in Engaging 5 Diaspora s 6. Possible Diaspora collaboration partners for CPN 6 Building on a tradition of giving in the 7 Key Sources for Reference 8

4 Executive Summary The diaspora community has always been engaged in giving back to their native homelands in both formal and informal ways. Although there is not a lot of research on the philanthropic practices of immigrants, it is clear that they have and continue to play a role in the development of the region. This paper will provide an initial landscape scan of some of the issues being addressed in the diaspora communities along with a wider look at diaspora philanthropy in general. While diaspora philanthropy may have potential for significant impact in the region, the lack of research and strategic connections among the various groups will limit the scope of the effort. The Canadian Foundation for the Americas define diaspora as the totality of individuals who identify themselves based on their origin in, and/or ties to a territory other than the one in which they reside. This can include migrants, 1st, 2nd or even 3rd generation immigrants as well as expatriates, students, guest workers and refugees. The diaspora based on this definition is said to number approximately 10 million including 2 nd and 3 rd generation individuals, yet with no official designation of on U.S. census forms, the official number from the 2000 census of foreign born nationals, put the number at 2.6 million. iv

5 1. Diaspora Data and Demographics The population in the U.S. is estimated to be over 10 million individuals although no official numbers exists as the U.S. census does not count nationals as a separate group. According to the U.S. Census, of the 31.1 million foreign born in the United States, about 2,953,066 (9.5 percent) counted by the U.S. Census were born in countries. Their numbers increased 22.0% from 1999 to 2000 and 12.9% from 2000 to (U.S. CENSUS 2000). Almost all (92.9%) are from 5 countries: Cuba (33.8%), the Dominican Republic (24.6%), Jamaica (14.6%), Haiti (13.7%), and Trinidad and Tobago (6.2%). (U.S. CENSUS 2000) Note: Other countries includes those reporting their birthplace as Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Turks and Caicos Islands, Martinique, Anguilla, the West Indies, and St. Barthelemy. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census

6 2. The Role of Remittances According to a recent study conducted by the IMF the is the world s largest recipient of remittances as a share of GDP (13 per cent of the region s GDP in 2002) (IMF, 2006). People of heritage are credited with contributing approximately $8 billion in remittances to economies in the region each year. (Inter- American Development Bank 2007 Study). Jamaica alone receives about 1.6B which accounts for approximately 18 percent of GDP. However, the measurement of remittances is extremely imprecise and the value of the flows of non-monetary goods has to be estimated in most cases. Since many migrants do not have bank accounts, a significant amount of funds go through informal networks including people to people transfers and cash transfer agencies like Western Union. Although there is little research on the role of remittances in philanthropic giving in the, these funds may represent an opportunity to engage donors in giving more strategically to the region. 2

7 3. The Role of Multinationals in building capacity in Diaspora networks There is growing recognition of the role diaspora groups can play in developing countries and several multinational organizations have created programs to address these groups. In the past few years, many of the multinational organizations such as International Development Bank, the World Bank and USAID have created programs aimed at engaging diaspora populations in development. Below is a quick overview of a few initiatives: The Inter-American Foundation supports Diaspora engagement in countries of origin, in the process offering training and technical assistance to the projects in which they are involved. In general, however, direct technical assistance to Diaspora groups is difficult for many donor agencies, which can only provide direct assistance to organizations in less developed countries. USAID has provided funding to the Transnational Development Fund administered by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF). The Fund leverages collective remittances from Diaspora groups such as Home Town Associations through matching grants awarded on a competitive basis. Targeting the least advantaged people in Latin America and the, PADF provides more than funding to its grantees. Training that includes needs assessment, project design and implementation, financial management, monitoring, evaluation and fundraising is designed to equip emigrant groups to become small development agencies In 2001, the US Agency for International Development established the Office of Global Development Alliances (GDA) to spur partnerships with private entities, including diaspora philanthropists and organizations. Through such partnerships, GDA aims to stimulate economic growth, develop businesses and workforces, address health and environmental issues, and expand access to education and technology. In 2006, the Inter-American Development Bank launched Promoting Diaspora and Local Support for Productive Initiatives, to support local economic development projects by facilitating partnerships between Latin American Diaspora groups and high out-migration regions of Argentina, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua. The United Nations Development Program established the TOKTEN program -- The Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals. The program helps to arrange and support short-term consultancies through which qualified professionals in a diaspora contribute their services to their home countries. TOKTEN has placed over 5,000 volunteers in assignments in 49 developing countries. While these efforts have not been as active in the, they offer a potential source for partnership in the region. 3

8 4. The Role of Diaspora Organizations in There are hundreds of diaspora organizations focused on supporting countries in the region. Most of these organizations are small community based social clubs but a growing number have formed 501c (3) and created national alliance to promote giving to the region. Most of their philanthropic work is focused on disaster relief but increasing some of these groups are engaging in broader scale efforts to support education and or sustainable development in the region. The one model of diaspora organizations, that have received significant research attention, is the hometown associations (HTA s) - with particular focus in Central America and Mexico. According a studies by Manuel Orozco, the Mexican Home Town Associations vary considerably in the kinds of support they send home, including charitable contributions, infrastructure improvements, funding for human development projects (health, education and recreational projects), and capital investment in income-generating activities. By late 1998, more than 400 such clubs were operating in the United States, with the largest and most active networks from the Mexican states of Zacatecas and Guanajuato. These clubs have formed associations that pool their efforts and experience, and have leveraged cooperation from the state and federal level, as described earlier. In 1990 President Carlos Salinas created the Program for Mexican Communities Abroad. Through this program Mexican consulates helped to establish new HTAs and strengthen existing groups. The matching incentive and outreach efforts quickly led to the creation of hundreds of new associations, most established with an expressly philanthropic mission. Other countries have also experimented with matching programs including El Salvador and Mali and Ghana. In addition Western Union recently announced a partnership model that matches given from diaspora residents to philanthropic projects in targeted countries across Latin America. 4

9 5. The Role of Governments in Engaging Diaspora s Caricom The Community (CARICOM), is an organization of 15 nations and dependencies. The members of Caricom include Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. There are also five associate members - Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos, while Aruba, Colombia, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, have observer status. In 2007 the US Virgin Islands announced that they would be seeking observer status in order to participate in Caricom. The leaders of Caricom convened a Conference on the Diaspora in The goal of the conference was to galvanize the diaspora community to support investment and development aid to the region. Although there has been a lack of clear outcomes due to the economic crisis, Caricom still can be a strong partner with CPN to engage the diaspora in philanthropy to benefit the region. In the past few years several governments have increased their efforts to involve their diaspora nationals in helping their homeland. These efforts include creation of diaspora foundations, exploring creation of diaspora bonds and exploring giving diaspora nationals the right to vote. Below is a sample of some of the more recent efforts: Offices of Diaspora Affairs Several countries including Jamaica and Grenada have established Office of Diaspora affairs. These entities exist under the auspices of the Minister of Foreign affairs and play a key role in galvanizing the diaspora communities to give back to their homelands. The Jamaican government created the Jamaica Diaspora Foundation in 2006 and several other countries including Dominica and Grenada are exploring similar programs. Several of these countries including Jamaica are considering giving diaspora nationals the right to vote. Diaspora Bonds Bonds issued by a country to its own Diaspora to tap into their assets in the adopted developed countries Diaspora bonds have been used over the years by several nations to raise funds among diaspora nationals. Israel and India have been successful in using these tools and now several countries including Jamaica and Grenada are exploring the use of these bonds. 5

10 6. Possible Diaspora collaboration partners for CPN Institute of Studies The Institute of Studies (ICS) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization established in 1993 dedicated education, advocacy and action on issues that impact on -Americans. The purpose of the Institute is to provide a forum for the public and private sector, the non-government organization community, scholars and others interested in promoting a dialogue; and assist in the execution of actions that result from that dialogue. ICS represents an important role in history as the first -American community organization in the Washington DC area devoted to the successful inclusion of -Americans in US policy making, and the economic development of the region. ICS location in Washington DC makes it an ideal interlocutor, advocate and intermediary between the US government, multilateral agencies, the private sector, -American communities and governments. Among its key achievement is the designation by U.S. Congress of June as Month. NGO Development Foundation The NGO Development Foundation is a newly formed group created in 2007 in Trinidad has a mission of helping to develop NGO s and small charities in the region. While its efforts are largely focused on Human Rights and Women s issues, they have a wider mandate to work with all NGO organizations. With membership represented from a diverse group of countries they could help CPN access the philanthropic communities in the region. Development Bank As the regional bank with a goal of promoting sustainable development, the development bank can be a partner to work with CPN on building philanthropic outreach in the region. Based in Barbados, the institution provides targeted grant support for efforts aimed at regional development and could be a possible source of targeted funding for CPN. 6

11 Building on a tradition of giving in the Although there are few formal organized giving organizations in the, there is a strong tradition of giving in the region. Research shows the historical role of mutual aid societies, churches and social networks in coordinated giving among people in the. In recent years, individuals in the Diaspora are increasingly engaged in philanthropic efforts through local hometown associations across the U.S, U.K and Canada. Unfortunately, these efforts are often dispersed and not strategic and as a result they don t address the full need of populations they seek to serve. With over three million people of descent in the U.S, there is a need for a coordinated effort to unleash the full potential of philanthropic giving both within and outside the to better serve its indigenous population. While the diaspora has great potential to impact philanthropy in the region, the potential is still unrealized. Almost all of the organizations operate as grassroots program, often without staffing and expert knowledge on how to engage their members to give. There is a need for technical assistance and a sustainable structure that can help these organizations work together and achieve better results. 7

12 Key Sources for Reference Brain Drain, Brain Circulation, Remittances and Development: Prospects for the ; LAURA RITCHIE DAWSON, Paper No.2, June 2007 Diaspora : Influences, Initiatives, and Issues; Paula Doherty Johnson, the Philanthropic Initiative, Inc. and the Global Equity Initiative, Harvard University, May 2007 Diaspora Bonds: Track Record & Potential; Suhas L. Ketkar; Vanderbilt University Diaspora : New Roles and Emerging Models; Paula Johnson, Senior Fellow, the Philanthropic Initiative. Migrant Hometown Associations and Opportunities for Development: A Global Perspective; Manuel Orozco and Rebecca Rouse; Inter-American Dialogue, February