Key Protection Challenges linked Key Protection Challenges linked to Migration Flowsto Migration Flows

Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 9 June 2015Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 9 June 2015

Comité Régional pour la Gestion des Catastrophes en Afrique de l’Ouest (GECEAO)

9e Consultation Annuelle

OverviewOverview

The impact of emergencies on the civil population

What is Protection and who is in charge

Humanitarian Principles

IOM and its approach to protection

Case studies:

Libya

CAR

Niger

Côte d’Ivoire

Emergencies on the Civil PopulationEmergencies on the Civil Population

How can emergencies affect civil populations?

•Limited or no access to basic services•Loss of property•Loss of income and of capacity to provide •Injury, sickness, loss of life•Disruption of family ties•Loss of documentation and related civil rights•Limited or no application of the law•Abuses and sexist violence•Food insecurity, etc.

All of the civil population becomes vulnerable or more vulnerable

ProtectionProtection

What is Protection? “… All activities aimed at ensuring full respect for the rights of the individual in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the relevant bodies of law, i.e. human rights law, international humanitarian law, and refugee law”

Framework for Protection in Emergencies: Statement of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Principals, endorsed on 17 December 2013, The Centrality of Protection in Humanitarian Action

Who is responsible for Protection?•A State has the duty to protect all persons on its territory, nationals and non nationals alike. •Each State also has the right – and the duty – to defend and protect its nationals abroad, and to allow other States to protect their nationals residing on its territory.•Many other international actors, including IOM, have a key supporting role to play in achieving the effective respect of the human rights of migrants.•Certain intergovernmental organizations have a formal legal protection function based on mandate (such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)

Humanitarian PrinciplesHumanitarian Principles

Humanity

Neutrality

Impartiality

Independence

IOM in a nutshellIOM in a nutshellIntergovernmental Organization created in 1951

Mandate: the promotion of humane and orderly migration in the interest of all

Intervention axis:

•Promote humane and orderly migrations;

•Promote international cooperation in the field of migration;

•Facilitate practical solutions to the challenges of migration;

•Provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, whether refugees, Internally displaced or other people

•IOM does not have a formal protection mandate but through its activities provides a de facto protection to migrants

IOM’s Approach to ProtectionIOM’s Approach to Protection

Strengthening integration of humanitarian/protection principles in every dimension of crisis response:

Protection mainstreaming

Do no harm

Safety and dignity

Meaningful access

Participation, empowerment and accountability

Protection integration

Selected sectors of assistance already integrate specific protection concerns

e.g. CCCM increasingly integrates GBV and CP considerations

Stand-alone protection programmes

Responding, restoring and environment building protection actions are implemented in response to specific violations.

e.g: MCOF sectors like CT in emergencies, MHPSS

IOM in the FieldIOM in the Field

Stranded Migrants: Libya 2011 Evacuation of enclaved populations:

CAR 2014

Mix Migration Flows : Niger 2014 Evacuation of Third Country Nations

(TCNs) from Cote d’Ivoire: 2011

Civil Unrest in Libya

• 2.5 million migrants

possibly in Libya

• Many relevant Embassies

without a representation

in neighboring countries

• Many vulnerable migrants such as Victims of Trafficking (VoT),

Unaccompanied Migrants and Children (UMC), etc.

Libya Lessons learned• Advocating for and supporting if necessary the presence of consular

missions

• Involving the host

country authorities

• Envisaging a focal

point within the

United Nations or

Civil Society system

for each specific

vulnerability

Ethnic Conflict - The CAR Crisis

• 935,000 displaced

• Thousands people

enclaved

• Humanitarian

evacuations

• Direct assistance (health,

NFI, Shelter, etc.)

CAR Lessons Learned

• Political and ethical sensitivity of humanitarian evacuations

• Fit for Travel and medical assistance pre-departure and during travel is essential

• Logistics, particularly linked to security and personal belongings is very challenging

• Transports need to be organized in such a way as to minimize protection issues (SGBV, abuse, etc)

Mix Migration Flows: Niger

Three transit and assistance centers for registration, shelter, food assistance, NFIs, health support, psychosocial assistance, family reunification and voluntary return

Niger Lessons Learned

• Provide information to migrants in

transit and in the areas of origin

• Reinforce humanitarian assistance

for Migrants in need

• Invest in socio-economic

integration activities

• Maintain flow monitoring

mechanisms

Evacuation from Abidjan 2011

• Civil war intensified in Abidjan in early 2011 • Limited movement of population, shortage of basic

necessities, etc.• Migrants stranded at Embassies and calls to

evacuate• Evacuation of stranded migrants to Mali and

Mauritania• Targeting the most vulnerable population • Road transport and security

Lessons learned in Cote d’Ivoire

• Some Embassies are not prepared for sudden major displacement of their nationals

• Lack of up-to-date data on migrant population• Associations of foreign nationals very effective• National staff essential in emergencies• Cooperation from victims essential for assistance• Collaboration with Government authorities

especially security personnel useful

ConclusionsConclusions

• Important population movements expose migrants to protection risks

• Protection risks and consequences can be mitigated by:• Mainstreaming protection in all activities• Promoting protection specific programs

• Key actions to ensure protection of migrant and displaced populations

include:• The Government are the primary actors and their capacity needs to

be supported and reinforced• Promote understanding of rights and obligations• Know well the situation (people, physical and social environment)• Create an environment that reduces the probability of risks linked to

protection• Support intervention mechanisms

Thank youThank you

Questions?Questions?