Migration Profiles: Concept and IOM’s Experience Jobst KOEHLER Research and Publications Division IOM, Geneva Joint UNECE/Eurostat Work Session on Migration Statistics, 16 April 2010

Outline a)Migration Profiles: Background and Objectives b) Migration Profiles: Main components c) Migration Profiles: IOM’s experience d) Lessons learned

Migration Profiles: Background and Objectives

Migration Profiles (MPs): Background MPs first introduced by the EC in Annex 6 of the 2005 Migration and Development Communication: “ Migration profiles aim to gather information on issues such as the labour market situation, unemployment rates, labour demand and supply and present or potential skill shortages by sector and occupation, skills needs in the country, skills available in the diaspora, migration flows, incoming and outgoing financial flows linked with migration, including migrant remittances, as well as relevant gender aspects and those related to minors." To inform Community programming in the field of migration and poverty reduction strategies MPs provide concise information in a standardized form, (A country’s migratory picture at a glance )

MPs:Background 2007 Council conclusion to Global Approach to Migration proposed to create : sustainable extended migration profiles, which would include information regarding migration flows and stocks, as well as the economic dimension of migration." MP should feed into new policy tools such a mobility partnership and circular migration schemes. MP evolved from being a means to bring together data from a range of sources, to a more elaborate process involving consultation with many different actors in an effort to help identify and develop strategies to address data gaps and produce the evidence required to inform policy.

MPs: Background Migration Profiles Information tool Capacity-building tool Extended Migration Profiles (EMPs)

MPs: Objectives 7 Objectives of E / MPs: To enhance governmental knowledge about migration and its relationship to development To support governments in establishing or strengthening mechanisms for regular reporting on migration-related information To improve the use of migration information for policy development To foster greater inter-ministerial coordination and collaboration with respect to data collection and policy development To monitor and assess the donor intervention in the area of migration

MPs: Main Components 3

MPs as an information tool 7 Standard MPs: -consist of a migration situation report based on a standardized template Two types of templates: -Shorter template; used by EC Delegations in ACP and IOM in South-Eastern Europe and Black Sea -Longer template; used by IOM in West and Central Africa and Latin America Both include indicators on immigration/emigration; types of migration (labour, forced migration) remittances, irregular migration and assessment of migration policy

Templates: Key features Shorter TemplateLonger Template - Fewer indicators (20) on migration; - No specific focus on migration-related areas (e.g. labour market, human capital, demography); - Short assessment of migration policies and actors, including diaspora. - Detailed indicators (46) on migration; - Focuses on development, demography, economy, labour market and human capital; - Analysis of factors driving migration - Assessment of policy framework and effectiveness - inventory of data sources and list of key definitions.

Migration Profiles - Templates MPs as an information tool bring together information about the actors and institutions involved in migration-related activities and policy frameworks in general MP reports are more than a statistical report. They also ….

Migration Profiles - Templates MPs as an information tool Government involvement in the production of MP reports: National/Regional workshop Intra-governmental mechanism to support data collection and production of report Statistical Advisory Group

MPs as a capacity-building tool

Problems with existing migration data: Accuracy, reliability and validity Coverage Timeliness and frequency Relevance and usefulness Comparability Access and transparency MP exercise presents an opportunity to initiate a capacity- development process to improve data collection and availability Dialogue between data users and producers During the preparation of MP reports…

MPs as a capacity-building tool Sustainable MPsM Data assessment Inter-ministerial Technical WG Statistical Advisory Group Training through Twinning National Data Management (Dissemination) Strategy Training of Focal institution New data collection instruments

MPs: IOM’s experience

IOM’s experience IOM first tested the basic migration profile concept in 2006, in Ecuador and Senegal, has subsequently prepared MP reports in over 30 countries: Africa: 13 Europe: 16 Asia: 2 South America: 4 Prepared in the context of: Regional consultative processes (RCPs) National initiatives to support Government research units National initiatives to support main- streaming of migration into development plans.

IOM’s experience: Key projects - Pilot project to test a methodology linking the preparation of MPs to a range of capacity-building and policy development activities that aimed to improve basis for coherent policy-making and foster country ownership. “Migration in West and Central Africa: National Profiles for Strategic Policy Development” (funded by EC, Swiss and Belgian Government) : 10 countries involved: Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mauretania, Niger, Nigeria plus Cameroon and Cape Verde; To i dentify information and capacity-building needs and developing plans to address these needs

IOM’s experience: Key projects - Migration Profile project linked to a broader capacity- building initiative, the EC’s Mobility Partnership. “Supporting the implementation of the migration and development component of the EU-Moldova Mobility Partnership” (funded by the EC), Data assessment Twinning Capacity-building through targeted training and additional data collection

Migration Profiles : Useful tool for policy development?

MPs as a useful tool?.. Migration Profiles can support policy development through:... improving accessability and availability of migration data … identifying data gaps and promote data- sharing at national and regional level … promoting discussion on migration policy, coherence and coordination involving a large range of ministries … deepen understanding of the policy options and information needs

MPs as a useful tool? However, Migration Profiles still need... … to move from fairly descriptive reporting to more sophisticated analysis …to link research and policy-capacity building over the long run … to be effectively utilized …. to encourage Governments to take ownership and responsibility for updating MPs

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