Asaba- The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with members of the Owa-Alero community, Ika North-East, Delta launched, 0n 8th December 2022 a communication campaign informing on the risks of irregular migration and trafficking in persons, while ensuring the protection and assistance for people on the move.

The campaign was developed through a community centred approach, bringing together the collective inputs of returning migrants, local community representatives, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) working on migration issues.

Through this campaign, people in the community obtain access to accurate information on safe migration pathways, as well as on available local opportunities.

“A lot of migrants are deceived into travelling irregularly due to misinformation. At the end of the day, they discover that the picture painted before migrating is different from the reality abroad. Through this campaign, potential migrants will be properly informed on the required travel document, and alternatives to irregular migration”, said Cyprine CHEPTEPKENY, IOM Nigeria, Awareness Raising Officer.

The project aims to work closely with local structures to ensure community ownership and sustainability of the program; thereby enabling lasting behaviour change.

“The Ika North- East LGA is delighted to be part of the development of this campaign. To us, having our inputs in the communication material development shows that, the project is strives to have a collective action to change behaviour on irregular migration and trafficking in persons’’, Chief P.I Jegbefumwen.

This campaign is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands as part of “Cooperation on Migration and Partnership for a Sustainable Solutions (COMPASS)”; a global initiative that seeks to assist individuals while working across all levels: households, communities, and the wider communities through a whole-of-society approach.

For more information on COMPASS, please visit www.iom.int/compass.

For further information on the community campaign, please contact: IOM Nigeria Program Support Unit on email: psunigeria@iom.int or OWOEYE Mariam on Tel: + 234 9062421091, Email mowoeye@iom.int