Data Collection Guidelines

English version last updated 1 August 2020 1. INTRODUCTION...... 3

2. BACKGROUND...... 3

3. WHAT IS COUNTED IN MISSING MIGRANTS PROJECT DATA?...... 4 3.1 What is included in the data?...... 4 3.2 What is excluded from the data?...... 5 3.3 Data sources...... 5 3.4 Publication of data...... 6

4. VARIABLES...... 6

5. SUBMIT DATA TO THE MISSING MIGRANTS PROJECT...... 7

6. CONTACT INFORMATION...... 8 fatalities in underreported regions inunderreported globally.fatalities Project framework toincrease thus awareness and MissingMigrants the within collection migrant about these guidelinesistoimprove of objective The main used collection. and variables definitions for data data document provides background information the describes and onIOM’s Projectdata MissingMigrants For reason, this this working migrants. well with non-governmental as as actors immigration authorities, policedepartments, examiners, medical as such for interested relevant incontributing institutions data, Project’sThisas aguide the MissingMigrants documentdefines framework methodological toserve duringmigration. number of lives true of the a minimum estimate as are understood Project data best Missing Migrants such, improvethere and aneedtoexpand isstill coverage data regions completenessinmost and world. ofthe As level international atthe Despite calls for work toaddress disappearances, and deaths issueofmigrant the onmissingmigrants.” coordinated efforts international establish for Safe, Compact Global to“[s]ave8 ofthe Orderly Regular and onstates calls Migration,which lives and migration towards destination.” international an Development “[n]umber 10.7.3onthe Indicator Goals ofpeoplewhodiedordisappeared process inthe of become akey reference for beingusedtoinform including information Sustainable the deaths, onmigrant world.the Today, globally. ofmigrants deaths onthe database Ithas onlyexisting the project hosts the aroundroutes along migratory identified in response ofmigrants disappearances and multipledeaths tothe who have borders developed process Itwas orinthe diedatstate destination. international ofmigratingtoan forThe Organization Migration(IOM)’s International migrants counts Projectmonitorsand MissingMigrants 2 1 infrequent oreven incorrectcoverage. come to light through Often incidents media sources, maydeaths. on which migrant have incomplete, abroadwhile intransit (by oforigin) countries scarce. Few isvery andpublishdata sources official collect countries), (by intransit ofnon-nationals destination deaths and transit whohave orofnationals died onthe reporting consistent as tocollect challenging isalso disappearances and deaths onmigrant Data covered up. may deaths some migrant and even deaths, be actively of fearful reporting might makecontext survivors precise the number of missing persons is unknown. irregular In addition, the lists, passenger without and many bodiesare often Furthermore, occuratsea, whendeaths not recovered, toauthorities. reported aresult, bodiesare As notalways ofevadingaim detection. found quickly, may deaths and ifatall, notbe migration are travelling ofmigrants by theyoften irregular occur inremote means, the areas with chosen for several tocollect For ischallenging many fatalities reasons. onmigrant during as deaths one, Data children have more diedduringmigration,including 20,000whohave than drowned Mediterranean. inthe left those Since2014,more behind. 35,000men,women, toassist than and deaths migrant and understand issue in order on this collection to better a need for2014, indicating of data expansion continuation and the recorded inThe Project has data MissingMigrants year each ofdeaths thousands collecting sinceitbegan IOM’sCenter inBerlinand DivisioninGeneva. Communications Mediaand created ajointinitiative Projectwas as IOM’s ofthe MissingMigrants Analysisthe MigrationData Global ofLampedusa. island Italian the near boats oftwo sinking diedinthe 368migrants estimated an 2013,inwhich wake inthe began eventsThe Project(MMP) tragic ofthe ofOctober MissingMigrants Seefor example Development, p. 11. for 2030Agenda ofthe Sustainable Development framework indicator targets Global and Goals for Sustainable the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Lampedusa_migrant_shipwreck 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BACKGROUND 1 Missing Migrants Project’s Objective MissingMigrants work supports also .

2 Inresponse,

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5 Data Collection Guidelines Data on the United States-Mexico border are compiled based on data from county medical examiners, coroners and sheriff’s offices in the United States, as well as media reports for deaths occurring on the Mexico side of the border. Estimates within Mexico and Central America are based primarily on media and year-end government reports.

In the absence of official, systematic and intraregional information sources in Asia, data on migrant deaths are drawn from reports by UNHCR and NGOs, as well as media reports. MMP also relies on surveys with migrants conducted by the Mixed Migration Centre’s Mixed Migration Monitoring Mechanism Initiative (4Mi) to capture incidents involving fatalities, and NGOs and other humanitarian actors who report deaths on militarized borders in the Middle East.

In Africa, MMP relies primarily on data gathered through the Mixed Migration Centre’s 4Mi initiative. Other sources of data include media reports and accounts from IOM country offices.

3.4 Publication of data The Missing Migrants Project hosts both an internal database and an anonymized database which is made public on its website, available at missingmigrants.iom.int. The internal database includes identifying information of the deceased, such as names, countries of origin, and notes on the circumstances of death, in the interest of answering requests from families searching for relatives lost during migration. However, in line with IOM data protection standards and in the interest of respecting the dead and their families, potentially identifying information, including names and countries of origin, is removed from the public database.

4. VARIABLES

This section presents the list of variables that constitute the Missing Migrants Project database. Ideally all incidents recorded should include entries for each of these variables. The minimum information necessary to register an incident is the date of incident,4 the number of dead and/or number of missing, and the location of death. If further information is unavailable, leave blank or write “unknown” as indicated in the table below.

Table 1: List of variables needed for input to Missing Migrant Project Database Variable Name Description

Date of incident Estimated date of death. In cases where the exact date of death is not known, this variable indicates the date in which the body or bodies were found. In cases where data is drawn from surviving migrants, witnesses or other interviews, this variable is entered as the date of the death as reported by the interviewee. At a minimum, the month and the year of death is recorded.

Number of dead The total number of people confirmed dead in one incident, i.e. the number of bodies recovered. If no bodies have been recovered and all migrants are missing and presumed dead, leave this variable blank.

Number of missing The total number of those who are missing and are thus assumed to be dead. This variable is generally recorded in incidents involving shipwrecks. The number of missing is calculated by subtracting the number of bodies recovered from a shipwreck and the number of survivors from the total number of migrants reported to have been on the boat. This number may be reported by surviving migrants or witnesses. If no missing persons are reported, leave blank.

4 An “incident” is defined as any occurrence in which an individual or group of individuals dies during migration or at international borders in one particular place and time.

6 Number of survivors The number of migrants that survived , if known. The age, gender, and country of origin of survivors are recorded in the ‘Comments’ variable if known. If unknown, leave blank.

Number of males Indicates the number of males found dead or missing. If unknown, leave blank.

Number of females Indicates the number of females found dead or missing. If unknown, leave blank.

Number of children Indicates the number of persons under 18 found dead or missing. If unknown, leave blank.

Age of deceased The age(s) of the deceased. An estimated age range may be recorded. If unknown, leave blank.

Name Name(s) of the deceased, in cases in which the identity is known. If unknown, leave blank.

Nationality Nationality(ies) of the deceased. If unknown, leave blank.

Cause of death The determination of conditions resulting in the migrant's death i.e. the circumstances of the event that produced the fatal injury. If unknown, write “unknown” and the reason why. For example, “Unknown – skeletal remains only”, would be used in cases in which only the skeleton of the decedent was found. Other examples of causes of death are: “Drowning”, “Hypothermia”, “Violent robbery” or “Vehicle accident”.

Location description Description of place where the incident involving deaths /disappearances occurred or where the body or bodies were found. Include nearby towns or cities and geographic coordinates if possible.

Migration route Name of the migrant route on which incident occurred, if known. This can be either a known route (e.g. 'Central Mediterranean' or a start and end location (e.g. Mexico to United States). If unknown, leave blank.

Body taken to Location where body(ies) are taken to for autopsy or storage. Typically a medical examiner, coroner, hospital or similar. If unknown, leave blank.

Information source Name of source of information for each incident. Multiple sources may be listed.

Link to information Links to original reports of migrant deaths / disappearances. Multiple links may be listed. source

Comments Brief description narrating additional facts about the death or sources of information. If no extra information is available, this may be left blank.

5. SUBMIT DATA TO THE MISSING MIGRANTS PROJECT

In order to submit data to the Missing Migrants Project, please download and complete the form here with any incidents involving migrant deaths and send it as an attachment to [email protected]. If you wish to submit a report of a single incident involving a migrant death/disappearance, please send us an email using this form. The data will be reviewed by IOM staff for accuracy and verified with relevant actors before being added to the dataset.

7 6. CONTACT INFORMATION

To contribute data to the Missing Migrants Project or for questions about this document, please write to [email protected].