About Pathways to Protection (P2P)
About the project
Pathways to Protection (P2P) is a five-year, Danida-funded project led by the Danish Refugee Council (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 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 equip displaced populations with the information they need to make safer, more informed decisions - and to improve understanding of safer migration options and alternatives to irregular migration.
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
Through P2P, DRC engages diaspora partners using a collaborative and data-driven 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.
