Good Practices for Successful Referrals and Linkages to Health and Non-health Services in Communities with High Migrant Stock

In communities with high levels of migration, ensuring that vulnerable groups – such as migrants, sex workers and young vulnerable people (YVP) – have access to essential services is critical. Community referral systems help bridge this gap by linking individuals to health and non-health services to ensure no one is left behind.

The IOM Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights–HIV Knows No Borders (KNB) Project is implementing a referral system in Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa – regions experiencing high cross-border mobility by virtue of bordering Mozambique and Eswatini. Migrants who move to here in search of a better life often face barriers in accessing health-care and social services.

To address these barriers, the KNB Project developed a structured community referral system connecting migrants, sex workers and YVPs (ages 10–29) to health and non-health services. This system ensures that those in need of clinical health-care and non-health services such as psychosocial support are linked to care. This improves health outcomes and social protection for mobile populations and host communities.

This report documents the KNB referral system highlighting its processes, successes and challenges in linking migrants and other vulnerable groups to care. It also explores key factors affecting community referrals, offering insights into enhancing service delivery in communities with high migration flows. By documenting these efforts, the report contributes to improving inclusive, community-driven referral systems that ensure marginalized populations receive the support they need, ultimately strengthening health and social service networks in cross-border communities.