Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration in Sahel and Lake Chad

Launched in December 2016 with the support of the EUTF for Africa, the EU-IOM Joint Initiative is the first comprehensive programme bringing together African countries, IOM and the EU around the shared aim of ensuring that migration is safer, more informed and better governed for both migrants and their communities.

Migrants may face significant risk and protection issues in transit or host countries. The EU-IOM Joint Initiative aims to save lives and improve assistance for migrants along migration routes. It allows migrants who decide to return to their countries of origin to do so in a safe and dignified way, in full respect of their rights. It provides reintegration support to enable returning migrants to restart their lives in their countries and communities of origin through an integrated approach, including individual assistance, community-based support and structural interventions.

As a returnee’s ability to successfully reintegrate is influenced by the political, institutional, environmental, economic and social conditions in his/her country of origin, the EU-IOM Joint Initiative contributes to reinforcing systems and enhancing migration governance, in complementarity with local development.

Pillars of Action:

1. CAPACITY BUILDING
   Promote good migration governance by strengthening capacities of local state and non-state actors in the countries where we work.
2. PROTECTION AND VOLUNTARY RETURN ASSISTANCE
   Ensure that migrants enjoy rights and access to services, provide direct support and facilitate the voluntary return of migrants.
3. REINTEGRATION SUPPORT
   Address returnees’ economic, social and psychosocial needs, foster the inclusion of communities of return and strengthen systems for reintegration support. 
4. MIGRATION DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
   Support evidence-based policies and programme design by strengthening migration data on migratory movements and migrants’ needs and vulnerabilities.
5. INFORMATION AND AWARENESS RAISING
   Enable migrants and potential migrants to make informed decisions about their migratory journey and sensitize communities on migration.
6. COMMUNITY STABILIZATION
   Contribute to the stabilization of communities at risk by revitalizing the local economy, improving access to basic socio-economic infrastructures and attempting to strengthen social cohesion.