Niamey – The migratory route throughout Niger may involve risks that may increase the migrants’ vulnerability, such as loss of documents, insufficient resources to continue the journey safely and in dignity, or exposure to criminal elements and gender-based violence.

Without access to adequate protection measures, countless migrants can become victims of violence, forced labour, exploitation and ill-treatment, at the hands of smugglers, employers, and other actors.

To date, there is no internationally accepted definition of a vulnerable migrant nor are there clear and recognized procedures for identifying and providing protection assistance to vulnerable migrants.

In this context, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recently developed a Handbook on Protection and Assistance to Migrants Vulnerable to Violence, Exploitation and Ill-treatment. The main purpose of the handbook is to provide conceptual clarity, operational definitions and a framework for protection and assistance for all actors involved.

The handbook is based on a holistic approach to determine the vulnerability of migrants to violence, exploitation and abuse, including a checklist for assessing risks at various levels – individual or household level, as well as at the community and structural levels.

This newly-developed tool proposes a programmatic framework for action to protect and assist vulnerable migrants at the different stages of the migration process: in countries of origin, transit and destination.

As part of the project “Safety, Support and Solutions in the Central Mediterranean Route” funded by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID), IOM organized a pilot training to accompany the upcoming launch of the handbook this week.

The project aims to provide critical humanitarian and protection support to migrants at key junctures along the route. Assistance is offered to migrants in transit and upon return, with a particular focus on victims of trafficking, unaccompanied children, and migrants in vulnerable situations.

This pilot training is aimed at policy makers and IOM’s institutional partners in Niger, with the purpose of introducing key concepts and mechanisms of action for the support and protection of vulnerable migrants.

“This is a very interesting training which comes at a time when migration has become a social phenomenon,” said Ms. Tahirou Ramatou, Director of Solidarity Promotion with the Ministry of Population in Niger. “As part of a ministry in charge of vulnerable groups at a decision-making level, I think this training helps us better understand the reality of the field.”

Based on a participatory methodology, the 3-day workshop was an opportunity for participants to reflect on the current legislative framework, existing policies and strategies, as well as to come up with appropriate solutions in the context of Niger.

The training ended with a half-day of role-playing exercises to put the newly-learned methodology into practice and to become familiar with IOM’s identification and reference tools for vulnerable migrants.

“In the absence of suitable procedures, protection practitioners may not be capable of recognizing vulnerable migrants and the appropriate services they need,” said Barbara Rijks, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Niger. “The impact of these risks can be mitigated by accessing appropriate services and through a coherent and concerted response from different actors involved at the global, regional and local levels,” she added.

For more information, please contact Monica Chiriac at IOM Niger at Tel: +227 8931 8764, Email: mchiriac@iom.int.