International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is a Winner of the 2016 Global Sustainable Development Award and Accredited as a Global 500 Sustainable Development Agencies of the year 2016 in appreciation of its contribution towards social-economic development of the world and its contribution towards attainment of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Recognised for its commitment to attain Sustainable Peace and development through facilitating and Regulating Migration worldwide .Awarded and Accredited by Public Opinions International (Uganda-East Africa).
Public Opinions International is a Partner and Member of International Organisation for Educational Development (IOED) and International Police Commission which is is duly registered as an international Non-Profit, Non-Secretarial, Peacekeeping and Social Development Paramilitary Organization based in the State of California, United States of America with extension commands in member nations of the U.N.The International Police Commission has also been given the Consultative Status from the UN ECOSOC and it is also a Member of the United Nations Office of the Drugs and Crimes “UNODC.
Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.
With 165 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.
IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.
The IOM Constitution recognizes the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement.
IOM works in the four broad areas of migration management:
- Migration and development
- Facilitating migration
- Regulating migration
- Forced migration.
IOM activities that cut across these areas include the promotion of international migration law, policy debate and guidance, protection of migrants’ rights, migration health and the gender dimension of migration.
COLLABORATIONS WITH NGOS AND CIVIL SOCIETY
IOM’s collaboration with NGOs is defined in Article 1(2) of its constitution, according to which the Organization “shall cooperate closely with international organizations, governmental and non-governmental, concerned with migration, refugees and human resources in order, inter alia, to facilitate the co-ordination of international activities in these fields. Such cooperation shall be carried out in the mutual respect of the competencies of the organizations concerned.”
Over 60 NGOs currently hold Observer status with the Organization. IOM is actively encouraging NGO participation at its Council and the International Dialogue on Migration and hopes that the trend towards increased NGO participation in migration policy dialogue will continue. Also at Headquarters level, IOM convenes regular annual consultations and briefings for a wider NGO audience. Most of the programmatic cooperation between NGOs and IOM, however, takes place at field level.
Cooperation between IOM and NGOs occurs in various contexts and reflects the diverse relationships between the two actors. NGOs might be collaborators with IOM, service providers or project implementers, donors, beneficiaries of IOM technical cooperation, grant recipients, or service recipients. IOM and NGOs may act as equal partners, or complement each other’s activities.
IOM and NGOs collaborate on a broad variety of migration management issues globally:
- Counter-Trafficking: NGOs and IOM cooperate in awareness-raising among potential migrants and capacity-building for governmental institutions in counter-trafficking. NGOs also play a crucial role in IOM programmes which assist victims of trafficking by providing shelter and protection services, counselling and medical support, as well as assistance in return and reintegration
- Assisted Voluntary Returns: IOM is working with NGOs in each of the three stages of assisted voluntary returns: pre-departure, transportation and post-arrival. IOM coordinates with NGOs to provide information dissemination, counselling, medical assistance, transport assistance and reintegration. NGOs also facilitate return assistance for migrants in an irregular situation and other migrants, such as unsuccessful asylum seekers, trafficked migrants, and qualified nationals.
- Human Rights of Migrants: NGOs and IOM work together in organizing or carrying out workshops, seminars and information dissemination campaigns specifically directed at increasing awareness of the human rights of migrants. IOM and NGOs also conduct research and collect information to identify and address abuses.
- Emergency and Post-Conflict: In emergency and post-conflict situations, IOM works with NGOs in various activities, e.g., organizing the safe and orderly evacuation or return of displaced populations, providing emergency shelter and relief, ensuring that protection concerns are identified and addressed, conducting censuses and surveys and organizing the return and reintegration of internally displaced persons, as well as of former combatants and their dependants.
- Movement Management: NGOs assist IOM in various components of temporary and permanent resettlement or return programmes of migrants to their countries of origin, e.g., cultural orientation, tracing and family reunification, sponsorship, transit assistance, and post-movement follow-up services.
- Labour Migration: NGOs are important partners in promoting regular labour migration, within the framework of combating irregular migration, fostering the economic and social development of countries of origin, transit and destination and ensuring respect for the rights and integrity of labour migrants.
- Mass Information: NGOs play a significant role in researching, designing and implementing public information campaigns to raise awareness of various migration issues through mass media.
- Migration Health: IOM’s Medical Health team works closely with NGOs in managing health assessments for prospective migrants and refugees in view of their resettlement or return, addressing a broad spectrum of health issues.
- Technical Cooperation on Migration (TCM): Technical cooperation projects can provide NGOs with technical and material support to enhance civil society’s role and contribution in the migration sector, including their efforts in research, the provision of direct services to migrants, and advocacy on behalf of migrants. NGOs are frequently partners as well in IOM technical cooperation activities benefiting governments.
Organizations
- Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA)
- Africa Recruit
- African and Black Diaspora Global Network on HIV and AIDS (ABDGN)
- African Foundation for Development (AFFORD)
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee – Center for International Migration and Integration (JDC-CIMI)
- Amnesty International
- Assistance pédagogique internationale (API)
- Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO)
- CARAM Asia
- CARE International
- Caritas Internationalis
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
- Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS)
- Child Helpline International (CHI)
- Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
- December 18
- Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM)
- European Youth Forum (YFJ)
- Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, Inc. (FECCA)
- Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS)
- FOCSIV – Volontari Nel Mondo (Federation of Christian Organizations for International Volunteer Service)
- Food for the Hungry International (FHI)
- Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC)
- Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad
- HIAS, Inc.
- Human Rights Watch
- Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)
- International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)
- International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
- International Council on Social Welfare (ICWS)
- International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL)
- International Islamic Relief Organisation (IIRO)
- International Medical Corps (IMC)
- International Organisation of Employers (IOE)
- International Rescue Committee (IRC)
- International Social Service (ISS)
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- INTERSOS
- Islamic Relief
- Japan International Friendship and Welfare Foundation (JIFF)
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)
- “La Caixa” Foundation
- Lutheran World Federation
- Migrant Help
- Migrants Rights International (MRI)
- NGO Committee on Migration
- Niwano Peace Foundation (NPF)
- Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
- Partage avec les enfants du tiers monde
- Paulino Torras Domènech Foundation
- Qatar Charity
- Refugee Council of Australia (RCA)
- Refugee Education Trust (RET)
- Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford (RSC)
- Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF)
- Save the Children
- Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN)
- Solidar
- Terre des Hommes International Federation (TDHIF)
- The Hague Institute for Global Justice
- Tolstoy Foundation, Inc.
- United Ukrainian American Relief Committee (UUARC)
- World Council of Churches (WCC)
- World Vision International (WVI)
INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION
The International Organization for Migration has a long standing and extensive working relationship with the United Nations (UN) at several levels. Today, there are three formal elements on which IOM’s overall relationship with the United Nations is based.
- The first is the observer status in the UN General Assembly, which IOM obtained in 1992 (GA resolution A/RES/47/4).
- The second is IOM’s inclusion by the General Assembly as a “standing invitee” in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) which also started in 1992.
- The third element is the Cooperation Agreement between IOM and the UN, which was signed in 1996 and provides a formal basis for a closer collaboration between the two secretariats.
In practical terms, the increasing operational collaboration that has evolved over the past decade and a half between IOM and a broad range of UN entities has also resulted in more frequent ad hoc inclusion of IOM in relevant UN working groups. This has especially been the case in emergency and/or post-conflict rehabilitation situations, but also extends to a number of ongoing consultative processes, e.g., on women and gender equality.
Observer Mission to the United Nations
In addition, IOM’s Permanent Observer Office in New York maintains ongoing active liaison with the United Nations Secretariat, notably the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the Department of Peace-Keeping Operations (DPKO) and the UN Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS), in order to provide information about IOM’s policies and activities, and to advise on substantive matters related to the Organization’s fields of expertise.
The Office of the Permanent Observer also fosters the exchange of information with New York-based United Nations bodies, such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on matters of mutual concern. Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with many of them which govern the particular fields and details of the cooperation. The Office also represents IOM at various working groups set up by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and OCHA.
UN Country Teams
IOM Chiefs of Mission are frequently invited by Resident Coordinators (RCs) to participate in UN Country Teams (UNCTs), sometimes as a full partner despite IOM’s non-United Nations status. Field missions maintain close working relationships with UN partners; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP); the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) being some of the most prominent among them. Cooperation includes joint organization and execution of programmes and activities, close coordination and the provision of complementary services.
Inter-Agency Standing Committee
The introduction of the “cluster approach” has incorporated IOM even more firmly in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). It presents an opportunity for the humanitarian community to highlight the unique characteristics of each organization and capitalize on their strengths. IOM has taken on the lead role for the Camp Co-ordination/Camp Management Cluster (CCCM) in natural disasters and also plays a critical role in various other clusters including shelter and logistics.
Global Migration Group
IOM’s collaboration with the UN system and its agencies is further strengthened by its membership in the Global Migration Group (GMG), an inter-agency group, meeting at both the working level as well as at the level of heads of agencies. The GMG aims to promote the wider application of all relevant international and regional instruments and norms relating to migration, and the provision of more coherent and stronger leadership to improve the overall effectiveness of the international community’s and United Nation’s policy and operational response to the opportunities and challenges presented by international migration.
The GMG grew out of an existing inter-agency group, the Geneva Migration Group, which was established in April 2003 by the heads of IOM, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In early 2006 membership in the Geneva Migration Group was expanded to include United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank. The Geneva Migration Group’s Terms of Reference were updated, and it was renamed the “Global Migration Group”. In November 2007 the GMG admitted a further four members – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Regional Commissions and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) were admitted as members, bringing the total GMG membership to 16 agencies.
Organs and organizations of the United Nations System
- United Nations
- Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
- Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
- Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
- International Maritime Organization (IMO)
- Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
- United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-WOMEN)
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
- United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
- Universal Postal Union (UPU)
- World Bank
- World Food Programme (WFP)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
- World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Intergovernmental organizations and other entities
- African Union
- African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group)
- Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO)
- Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
- Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP)
- Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)
- Council of Europe
- East African Community (EAC)
- Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
- Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS)
- European Union
- Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB)
- Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)
- Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
- Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
- International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
- Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)
- Italian-Latin American Institute
- League of Arab States (LAS)
- Mano River Union (MRU)
- Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
- Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- Organization of American States (OAS)
- Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
- Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
- Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM)
- Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UFM)
- Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (former SECI Center) (SELEC)
- Southern African Development Community Secretariat (SADC)
- Sovereign Order of Malta (SMOM)
- Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA)
INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE ON MIGRATION
The past decades have witnessed an expansion of inter-governmental and other initiatives to develop joint approaches to migration. IOM’s International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) has held a pioneering role in bringing together all migration stakeholders, at a global level, for free and open discussions on the opportunities and challenges which migration presents.
The IDM is IOM’s principal forum for migration policy dialogue. Founded in 2001 and rooted in IOM’s Constitution and Strategy, the IDM is open to IOM Member and Observer States, as well as international and non-governmental organizations, migrants, and partners from media, academia or the private sector. The IDM provides a space to analyse current and emerging issues in migration governance and to exchange experiences, policy approaches and effective practices.
Every year, the IDM is guided by an overarching theme selected by the IOM membership though a process of informal consultations. The annual theme is elaborated during workshops and concludes at the IOM Council Sessions, bringing together migration policymakers and practitioners from around the world.
2016: Follow-up and Review of Migration in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Follow-up and review of migration in the SDGs
- Assessing progress in the implementation process of migration related SDGs
2015: Conference on Migrants and Cities
2014: Human Mobility and Development: Emerging Trends and New Opportunities for Partnerships
- Migration and Families – [Final Report]
- South-South Migration: Partnering Strategically for Development – [Final Report]
2013: Diaspora Ministerial Conference
2012: Managing Migration in Crisis Situations
- Migrants in Times of Crisis: An Emerging Protection Challenge – [Final Report]
- Protecting Migrants During Times of Crisis: Immediate Responses and Sustainable Strategies – [Final Report]
- Moving to Safety: Migration Consequences of Complex Crises – [Final Report]
2011: The Future of Migration: Building Capacities for Change
- Economic Cycles, Demographic Change and Migration – [Final Report]
- Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration – [Final Report]
2010: Migration and Social Change
- Societies and Identities: The Multifaceted Impact of Migration – [Final Report]
- Migration and Transnationalism: Opportunities and Challenges – [Final Report]
- IDM at the IOM Council
2009: Human Rights and Migration: Working Together for Safe, Dignified and Secure Migration
- Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Migrants: Ensuring Protection of Human Rights – [Final Report]
- Effective Respect for the Human Rights of Migrants: A Shared Responsibility – [Final Report]
- IDM at the IOM Council
2008: Return Migration: Challenges and Opportunities
- Enhancing the Role of Return Migration in Fostering Development – [Final Report]
- Managing Return Migration – [Final Report]
- IDM at the IOM Council
2007: Migration Management in the Evolving Global Economy
- Making Global Labour Mobility a Catalyst for Development – [Final Report]
- Free Movement of Persons in Regional Integration Processes – [Final Report]
- Expert Seminar: Migration and the Environment – [Final Report]
- IDM at the IOM Council
2006: Partnerships in Migration
- Migrants and the Host Society – [Final Report]
- Migration and Human Resources for Health – [Final Report]
- IDM at the IOM Council
2005: Towards Policy Coherence on Migration
- Developing Capacity to Manage Migration
- Migration and Development – [Final Report]
- IDM at the IOM Council
2004: Valuing Migration
2003: Migration in a Globalized World
- Trade and Migration – [Final Report]
- Approaches to Data Collection and Data Management
- IDM at the IOM Council
2002
- Report: International Legal Norms and Migration: An Analysis
- Report: Compendium of Intergovernmental Organizations Active in the Field of Migration
- IDM at the IOM Council
2001
- International Dialogue on Migration on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of IOM – [Final Report]
- IDM at the IOM Council
Contact: [email protected]
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Public Opinions International
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