RO Nairobi Newsletter December 2013

ASSISTING A WORLD ON THE MOVE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. IOM provides humanitarian assistance to expelled migrants from Tanzania

2. IOM Ethiopia deals with an influx of Ethiopian migrants from Saudi Arabia

3. Inter-agency efforts in Turkana, , strive for building resilience among

pastoralist communities

4. IOM boosts efforts for sustainable reintegration for Rwandan returnees

5. Tanzania rolls out e-system for residence permits

6. Regional director holds key talks with Ugandan ministers. IOM PROVIDES emergency assistance to expelled Migrants from Tanzania On 25 July 2013, Tanzania’s President Kikwete In Burundi, a joint rapid assessment As of 15 December, IOM and its in transit centres or in areas of return. gave a public directive that all migrants in conducted by IOM, partner UN agencies partners continued to register, at a the Kagera region without “valid residential and NGOs, to assess the needs and gaps of lower scale, new arrivals in Rwanda, The Rwandan Government now plans documents”, had to leave the country by returning Burundians in the provinces of Burundi and . Following the close the transit centres by end of 11 August 2013, or be forcibly removed by Rutana and Muyinga concluded that the annual presidential pardon granted to January 2014, as it focuses on relocating security forces. Although it is estimated that situation would likely worsen over time if prisoners by the President of Tanzania over 6,000 migrants who have no home Kagera Region had an estimated 35,000 nothing was done, as the expelled migrants on 9 December, a group of 76 young areas to return to. These migrants will be irregular migrants, it was made clear by the continued to exert pressure on the already Burundian men arrived in Burundi, resettled in districts designated by the UN in Tanzania, that these migrants were not poor host population. having been released from prisons. government. refugees. The majority of the migrants were from Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda. There were fears of disease outbreaks The arriving migrants in Burundi are The government acknowledges the especially as the cold weather progressed. registered at the entry points, allowing provision of reintegration assistance Due to President Kikwete’s directive, an Risks of diarrhoea, malaria, conjunctivitis, them to access food rations and for all the expelled migrants as most estimated caseload of up to 35,000 individuals respiratory diseases, cholera (which was transportation assistance to areas of pressing. These migrants are in need of was expected to return to Burundi, Rwanda already prevalent in some return provinces), origin. The Ministry of National Solidarity sustainable livelihoods and shelter. and Uganda. As of 15 December 2013, over deteriorating health and sanitary conditions. continues committed to coordinate In Uganda, health challenges in Sango- 55,000 individuals had crossed the Tanzanian the ongoing response to the expelled Bay continued unabated with clinics border into Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, IOM took lead and provided assistance in migrants situation. IOM is currently treating increased cases of malaria with Burundi receiving the largest caseload of information management systems, set up building a new transit centre in Rutana and upper respiratory tract infections. over 37,000 migrnats. of transit centres near strategic and main and rehabilitating two transit centres in However, cases of watery diarrhoea have entry points; in coordination with WFP and Makamba and Muyinga. The work on the decreased, while cases of severe acute “We did not have time to prepare. Police were FAO, organized return packages and provided transit centres follows a recommendation malnourishment of children under the arresting ‘visitors’, they asked us where our transportation assistance to returnee’s area of by an inter-agency working group to age of 5 years have spiked. homes were and depending on your answer, origin. improve their conditions. IOM, WFP, FAO you were transported to Burundi, Rwanda and UNICEF continue to provide food and IOM and partners continue to provide or Uganda. We were not allowed to pick The situation was similar in Uganda where Non-Food Items to the most vulnerable the much needed assistance for the anything”. This were the sentiment shared by a joint assessment team of IOM and individuals among the expelled migrants expelled migrants. majority of the migrants. Uganda’s Directorate of Immigration and Citizenship was undertaken to determine the Many of the migrants crossing the border are humanitarian needs of Ugandan and Rwandan agriculturalists and livestock farmers, many of expelled migrants in Rakai and Isingiro areas. whom were not authorized to take their cattle The assessments established that urgent need with them. Most arrived without any means for WASH facilities in Sango bay where the of survival as their possessions were left in migrants initially settled on arrival. Health Tanzania, or had to be sold at a low price due facilities were overstretched, shelter needs to the impending deadline of departure. were high and access to food was a concern. IOM took lead in the post arrival assistance of the expelled migrants in Burundi and provided transportation assistance from the reception centres to areas of origin, as well to transit centres, for migrants who did not have known homes. In Rwanda, the government took lead in identifying areas of origin for the migrants and coordinated with IOM in providing their Shelter, food and NFIs were of great concern at the beginning of the emergency response. transportation home. Children arrived mulnourished with many in need of medical attention FormerB urundian Refugees Still in Need of Reintegration Support

A year after they returned home from the Mtabila Refugee Camp in western Tanzania, former Burundian The beneficiaries have taken up livelihood activities refugees still face socio-economic challenges that such as small scale bakeries, palm oil production, hinder their effective reintegration into communities cassava processing, hair dressing and carpentry. In of return, according to IOM household socio-economic addition to the shelter and livelihood interventions, profiling conducted between 17 June and 24 August IOM has also designed a capacity building exercise 2013. for the livelihood beneficiaries. They will be provided with knowledge on how to manage their businesses The new data reveals acute needs in livelihood, access and the associations that they have established. to health, water and sanitation and access to food, among Burundian returnees who left Mtabila Refugee Camp between 31 October and 11 December 2012. The majority of the returnees have been re-absorbed in their areas of origin but have had to cope with Although all the former refugees are back to their destruction that was brought about by the civil respective communities of origin, their houses and strife in Burundi. The five provinces with the biggest livelihoods were destroyed during the civil war and number of returnees are Makamba, Rutana, Ruyigi, after more than 15 years in Tanzania, they came back Gitega and Karusi. to find destroyed homes. Women and children are most affected by conflcit and form the largest With funding from the European Commission- number of returneed from the Mtabila Refugee Camp Marceline was only 14 years old when war broke out Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), IOM is in Burundi. She fled to Tanzania and with thousands working with the returnees to construct 2,000 shelters of other Burundian Refugees, she sought refuge in for a corresponding number of most vulnerable Tanzania and was hosted at the Mtabila Refugee returnee households. Camp.

“This means so much especially during this extremely She came back to Burundi in November 2012 wet season. Shelter is crucial because apart from and having lived as a refugee for 18 years, her the harsh elements, it provides them with security surroundings felt strange. She had been away for from people with ill intentions,” says Alex Gachara, too long and the effect of the 1993-2005 civil war Chief of Nyabutare in Burundi’s southern Province of was still evident. There are no traces of houses left Makamba. behind by fleeing civilians and the challenge was how to start life anew. IOM is also supporting returnees from 500 families to establish livelihood opportunities. Chief Gachara Marceline is one of the beneficiaries of an IOM however feels that a lot more work needs to be done project that seeks to establish shelter for the to stabilize the returnees’ livelihoods. returned refugees, as well as to establish livelihood opportunities. Her drive for excellence sets her apart “Lives have been lost due to preventable causes such and her passion to make the best out of the situation as malaria. Those who have come back from Mtabila is refreshing. have challenges in accessing food,” adds Mr. Gachara. IOM’E s mergency Post-Arrival say they had limited access to public utilities, the government have set up clinics at the inadequate meals, and a general lack of airport as well as the reception centres, where Assistance for Ethiopian privacy. Many of those detained and returned the arriving migrants can receive medical Returnees from the Kingdom of to Ethiopia arrived hungry, tired, in need of assistance. Saudi Arabia medical support and with little or no personal belongings. The Ethiopian government has dedicated Transit Centres with a carrying capacity of At the beginning of the operation the 6,000 individuals in the capital Addis Ababa. Government of Ethiopia indicated that the In addition, the World Food Programme number of migrants registered and waiting at has provided seven tents that are used for detention centres and police stations in KSA accommodation. Migrants who arrive in the was estimated at 30,000. However, within evening are hosted in these Transit Centres seven days of the operation, this number overnight and allowed to go home in the was revised upwards to 80,000 individuals, morning. Migrants who arrive during the indicating that many more Ethiopian migrants day are allowed to get a bus home. This were still held at 64 detention centres. As of ensures that the Transit Centres have room to 22 December however, over 144,000 migrants accommodate new arrivals. have arrived in Ethiopia. Unaccompanied minors are temporarily hosted The arriving migrants consist of several at the IOM Transit Centre in Addis Ababa vulnerable populations, including victims as efforts are made to trace their families. of trafficking, unaccompanied minors, and In coordination with Ethiopia’s Ministry of pregnant women. Over 300 unaccompanied Women, Children and Youth Affairs, United migrant children have returned so far and Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the as of 19 December, 292 of them have been International Rescue Committee (IRC), reunited with their families. Furthermore, assistance is provided in family tracing and due to the difficulties they underwent in KSA finally re-unifying the minors with their many migrants returned with severe medical families. The unaccompanied minors are conditions, such as physical and psychological transported to their areas of origin in the trauma, psychiatric illness due to gender based company of a social worker and handed over to violence/ suspected rape and respiratory their parents or guardians. illnesses. In support towards the emergency returns, The Government of Ethiopia has taken lead IOM has received in kind donations from in responding to the emergency returns the International Rescue Committee, Save and is coordinating the movements and the Children, UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, Plan providing arrival assistance at the airport, International, MSF Spain, Ethiopian Red including immigration clearing procedures. The Cross Society, ICRC, VEDIKA Ethiopia Telugu The Chief of Mission of IOM SLO Addis Ababa, Mr. Josiah Ogina, organized a series of donor visit to the government has also identified facilities for Association, Association of French in Ethiopia reception and transit centres, to acquint diplomatic missions on the emergency situation in Ethiopia. temporary accommodation where the migrants (ADFE) and Ethio-French Association. The are also provided with meals. donations includeblankets, water tanks, mobile toilets, ambulances, dignity kits, On 14 November 2013, the Government of Ethiopia through its Ministry of Foreign In coordination with the government, IOM is pharmaceuticals, large tents, high‐energy Affairs, requested IOM to provide post‐arrival and reintegration assistance to facilitating airport reception, registration and biscuits and telephone communication Ethiopian returnees from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Due to changes in transportation from the airport to the Transit facilities, among others. the KSA’s foreign workers legislation and the subsequent crackdown on irregular Centres and onward to the bus station. For migrants, tens of thousands of Ethiopian migrants have returned to Ethiopia in a their transport home, IOM is providing $50 bus IOM appreciates the financial support towards massive airlift witnessed in recent times. fare. Water and high energy biscuits are also this emergency from HRC, CERF, OCHA, HRM, given to the migrants at the airport reception the Ethiopian Indian Business Forum and Plan Many irregular migrants were held in detention centres primarily in Riyadh and and meals, water and high energy biscuits International. Jeddah, before they were sent back to Ethiopia. While in detention, the migrants are provided at the Transit Centres. IOM and DMonor ission Ends With Calls for Efforts to Enhance Human Security in Turkana County. There is need for greater commitment in the efforts by the Government of Kenya, County Governments and United Nation agencies, to enhance human security in Turkana Central and Loima Sub-counties. This was the resounding message from a joint delegation from the United Nations inter-agency coordination group and government representatives, following a three day field visit by the Chief of Unit, United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) Unit Ms. Mehrnaz Mostafavi. Ms. Mostafavi was in Turkana to assess the progress undertaken to improve human security among pastoralist communities in Turkana County through sustainable interventions in livelihoods, food security, education, child labour and health.

The field visit provided Ms Mostafavi an opportunity to better understand the progress made and determine the effectiveness of translating the human security concept into practical actions and sustainable results as recommended by the United Nations General Assembly. She also had an advantage of interacting with the project beneficiaries. Turkana region suffers from a ‘climate change-migration-conflict-nexus’ where recurring, severe drought cycles lead to increasingly frequent outward migrations of pastoralists within Kenya or across the border, in search of water and pasture for livestock. Considering the mobile nature of pastoral border communities, the project targets the most vulnerable of the Turkana Central population as well as selected neighbouring cross-border communities by providing opportunities to interact in a peaceful manner through joint training and the establishment of joint markets and trade opportunities. This project builds on recommendations by communities themselves to strengthen local capacities to prevent disaster and mitigate shocks of a climatic, economic and conflict nature. The pastoralist populations of Turkana Central are faced with acute economic-, food- and health- insecurity, as well as environmental, personal-and community insecurity. These threats are interlinked and feed on each other, with most characterized by their chronic and pervasive nature. Increasing weather extremities and unpredictability is evident in Turkana, with escalating severity and frequency of droughts. The project “Strengthening Human Security in the Border Communities of Turkana, Kenya” officially launched in 2012 is a 6.1 Million USD 3-year project funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security. The proposed activities aim to improve human security in a context of UN inter-agency coordination including United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Food and The Chief of Mission of IOM SLO Addis Ababa, Mr. Josiah Ogina, organized a series of donor visit to the Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), International reception and transit centres, to acquint diplomatic missions on the emergency situation in Ethiopia. Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNTFHS and building on the capacities of local CBOs, local peace committees, local governments and the governmental Arid Lands Resource Management Project (ALRMP). CATTLE RUSTLING: UNHEARD CRIES OF A TURKANA WIDOWER Joyce Ajele, a mother of three, shudders be anyone’s job. What would have become when she remembers the day she learned of of my children had I died,” she ponders? She her husband’s death at the hands of cattle found herself thrust in pit of depression. rustlers two years ago. “Most people don’t have the smallest hint She stares at the sky as she narrates the the agony we undergo as widows when our ordeal that nearly destroyed her and her husbands die in the raids.” young family. “It was at the crack of dawn when one of my husband friends knocked at Indeed, Ajele’s case is not unique in the my door and broke the sad news,” she says. Pokot and Turkana communities. There are many widows left to fend for large families “My husband was the family breadwinner; in the highly patriarchal society. The trail of IOM Joins Local Communities in Marking 40th Anniversary of although I knew his suport was drawn violence following the cattle raids leave in Lokiriama Peace Accord during the international peace day from proceeds of his illicit trade, I never its wake poorer communities, traumatised questioned. You need to understand this is children, voiceless and weaker widows. Leading regional leaders drawn from accord derives its name from Lokiriama, the tradition around here,” the 27 year old Competition for scarce resources, particularly Kenya, Uganda and Southern Sudan a remote town in Turkana District, North widower narrates as she fights back tears. water and pasture, and the high value placed on 19 September 2013 vowed to build Western Kenya that is inhabited by the Frequent clashes between neighbouring on cattle have produced a culture of raiding greater regional peace and stability Turkana. communities of Turkana and Pokot has and warfare within which men are noted among the Karamojong cluster resulted in loss of lives and affected for their bravery and wealth. Culturally, communities living along the country’s A symbolic monument for this accord development in the area. Ajele’s husband men marry with cattle and historically bride border lines. was built during the time. Elders from was a famed warrior in the village whose wealth prices have been very high; Young both Turkana and Matheniko buried body was heavily tattooed, symbolizing the men have a powerful yearning to establish Turkana Senator, John Munyes, Governor, instruments of conflict, honey, milk number of people he had killed in the raids. their reputations and build their own herds Josephat Nanok and Uganda’s Minister and traditional brew in a pit over which through mounting raids. for State and Internal Affairs James the monument was constructed. The As the remaining head of family, Ajele Lokeres pleaded with the largely pastoral greater Karamoja Cluster encompasses armed herself with a gun belonging to her However, all was not lost for Ajele; she had communities in the region to embrace regions within northeastern Uganda, late husband, to protect her family in case previously heard about peace messages peaceful coexistence and concentrate , northwestern Kenya, and of retaliatory attacks. She badly needed a by IOM and curiously attended one of the on development matters. They made the southwest Ethiopia. These regions are source of livelihood to sustain her family. meetings. From the meetings, together with clarion call in Lokiriama, 50 Kilometers inhabited by nomadic and semi-nomadic “My two girls and a boy could no longer go to other women she acquired skills on dry- from Uganda’s border while marking this pastoral peoples who live in fragile and school because they lacked school uniforms land farming and has been able to cultivate year’s 40th anniversary of the Lokiriama unpredictable ecological zones. and I was constantly struggling to feed them. maize and millet in small plots along the peace accord signed on 19 December I had to do something,”. river valleys, a welcome supplement to the 1973. “I call upon regional leaders to put more monotonous diet of milk and animal blood. effort in ensuring our people embrace She reveals how she was convinced by her She has been a subsistence farmer for the “We should learn and borrow good peace in years to come,” said Nanok. He peers to accompany some men to raid a past two years and has no regrets. “I thank practices from the peace accord and was optimistic that recent discoveries nearby village. Unflinching, she joined the IOM for giving me hope and inspiration. sustain peace among the communities of both oil and water would put to an raid armed with her husband’s illegally I learnt a lot from the meetings which living the region,” said Munyes while end the resource based conflict that has acquired weapon. She recalls how her encouraged us to venture into alternative addressing hundreds of local residents plagued the area for years. colleagues were all gunned down by pokot source of livelihood,” she concludes. who turned up to grace the colorful warriors who had prior information of the event. IOM and partner agencies, with funding impending attack. “I was in shock; I have form the United Nations Trust Fund never seen so much blood in my life. I hid The Lokiriama Peace Accord is a peace for Human Security are spearheading under the corpses and played dead and when treaty between the Turkana people of interventions in livelihoods, food I saw the opportunity, I ran for my life. Cattle Kenya and the Matheniko of Uganda security, education, child labour, health rustling is not a woman’s job and should not signed 40 year ago as a commitment by and peacebuilding in Turkana Central and both parties to peacefully co-exist. The Loima sub-counties. Enhancing Resilience and rotection of marginalized Communities in northern kenya IOM Kenya launches World Migration IOM has partnered with the Government of seen 25 social practitioners from Garissa Kenya to enhance resilience and protection undergo social protection training and Report 2013 of marginalized communities in Turkana, psychosocial counselling for victims of SGBV. Uasin Gishu, Marsabit and Garissa Counties. 25 social protection practitioners from the Ministry of Health in Garissa have been With funding from the Swedish International trained on prevention of SGVB and human Development Agency, IOM aims to trafficking. strengthen the provision of social protection services to vulnerable groups including In emergency situations. Girls, women victims of sexual and other forms of gender- and displaced populations are at high risk based violence (SGBV). IOM’s focus is on of SGBV and exploitative practices such promoting peace, addressing the needs as human trafficking. Harmful cultural of marginalized youth for improved and practices, including female genital mutilation sustainable livelihoods and addressing the and tolerance of various forms of SGBV such gaps in social protection. as domestic violence, within society push some girls and women out of their families “Competition over scarce resources, poor and communities, leaving them vulnerable to land tenure systems, and conflict triggered sexual exploitation and human trafficking. by politics has resulted in both sustained low intensity conflicts and frequent instances of The practitioners who included local localized violence and clashes,” said Teranishi community leaders women’s group leaders Etsuko, IOM Programme Manager. and Community Based Organizations and social workers learned new skills on how These factors have left local communities to improve the ability of social protection and marginalized groups vulnerable and and provide services to victims of SGBV and in need of initiatives that can help them human trafficking. Similar trainings have cope. There is an increasing need to address been lined up in Uasin Gishu, Turkana, and underlying factors such as conflict, poverty Marsabit Counties. and social vulnerability. Under the same project, IOM has initiated The most affected include communities live discussions with newly initiated warriors in Garissa, Marsabit, Turkana and various from Marsabit County, to enlighten them on parts of the Rift Valley. The situation is key issues touching on peace building and further exacerbated by over half a million conflict resolution.The talks also centered refugees who are competing for the already on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), SGBV, scarce resources such as food, water and culture and education. firewood. During the discussion, it emerged that Approximately 75 per cent of the population scarcity of water and pasture are the root in Turkana County (total population causes of conflict in the area. School going IOM Kenya on 18 September launched the World Migration Report 2013 in Nairobi. The is 855,399) and Garissa County (total children in the areas also can’t access basic event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of population is 623,060) are nomadic education as they tend to the livestock. Interior, Department of Immigration, Diplomatic Missions, the Media and members of pastoralists. Marsabit County is among those FGM among communities in Marsabit needs the public. that experienced the worst conflict related serious attention. The morans say is is a displacements, with over 50,000 persons source of income for the circumcisers and For more information on the launch visit http://kenya.iom.int. displaced and 48 conflict related deaths in uncircumcised girls are shunned by the 2012. communities as they are considered to be unclean and immoral. The project that began in August 2013, has IOM BOOSTS EFFORTS FOR SUSTAINABLE REINTEGRATION OF RWANDAN RETURNEES The International Organization has stepped up efforts to boost the sustainable reintegration of Rwandan returned refugees. The organization is training some 184 trainers who will in turn impart the acquired skills to 1,500 selected returnees and IOM RWANDA EXPECTS vulnerable members of the host communities in Rwanda. TO RESETTLE 1,500 The Training of Trainers focuses on improving teaching skills and providing advanced training techniques for effective adult learning, to ensure the highest standards and CONGOLESE REFUGEES best practices are maintained, and that beneficiaries can be self-employed. The IN 2014 trainers are drawn from the districts of Gisagara, Huye, Nyaruguru and Nyamagabe (Southern Province), Karongi, Nyabihu, Rubavu and Rutsiro (Western Province), and The International Organization for Migration (IOM) expects to resettle an estimated Musanze (Northern Province).Beneficiaries will be trained on skill such as carpentry, 1,500 Congolese refugees to the United States from Rwanda in 2014. welding, knitting, tailoring, mechanics, masonry and hairdressing Nyiramahoro Tuyisenge is one of the approximately 600 Congolese refugees who have Given the successes of phases I, II and III of the this project, IOM and the Ministry finished undergoing IOM’s pre-departure health assessment in preparation for their for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs are now targeting 5,000 direct resettlement to the United States. beneficiaries out of which 1,500 will receive vocational skills trainings; 1,500 will receive livestock assistance; and another 2,000 beneficiaries will be provided with It has been 17 years since threats from the militia in her village in the Democratic construction materials to improving their housing facilities. Republic of Congo sent her running into neighbouring Rwanda. The situation in her rural village has never stabilized and life at the camp has been tough, especially for her three Since its inception in 2010, the programme has benefited more than 8,000 direct children. beneficiaries and their families which represent a total of over 40,000 indirect beneficiaries. The impact of the programme can already be seen in the 78% average “It is so hard to make appropriate food for babies in the camp. The tents get really increase in income of the direct beneficiaries and improvement in living conditions cold when it rains and my children often get sick. I’m so worried about them,” said of 63% of the beneficiaries who received housing assistance under the previous Nyiramahoro as she held her new born baby. three phases. “I’m very happy to go to the United States. I expect that I will have access to quality The training was jointly launched by the Adviser to Minister for Disaster food, education and health.” Nyiramahoro said, full of hope and excitement for the new Management and Refugee Affairs, Capt. Kayitana J.D., the Japanese Ambassador to life ahead. Rwanda, H.E. Kazuya Ogawa and the IOM Chief of Mission in Rwanda, Ms. Catherine Northing. Every year, IOM facilitates movements for thousands of refugees who have been accepted for third country resettlement. The resettlement programme offers a durable The programme is generously funded by the Government of Japan. solution for refugees who are unable to return to their country of origin for fear of continued persecution and do not have the option to stay in their country of asylum.

The US government funds IOM to conduct these health assessments and to organize the transportation of refugees to the United States. IOM-Operated Health Centre, Mobile Clinics Benefit Thousands of Displaced in Puntland

Residents of the Jowle settlement for internally displaced people (IDPs) located on the outskirts of Garowe City have started flocking to a health centre and a system of mobile clinics established by IOM and Puntland’s Ministry of Health (MoH) in May 2013. IOM Moves Around 3,000 people have already benefited since the new services to Tackle were established, averaging some 75 patients per day. High Youth The Japanese-funded health facilities provide essential primary health care services including reproductive health services for displaced Unemployment families, comprising of routine consultations, safe motherhood services, in Somaliland control of communicable diseases and Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Soaring unemployment in Somaliland, especially among school-leavers “In the past I developed complications that the traditional midwife and university graduates, has fuelled an increase in irregular migration, was not able to resolve. I was in pain, but could not afford to go to the drug addiction and conflict, according to a study conducted by the private hospital several kilometres away. Now I can go to the midwife at Somaliland National Youth Organization (SONYO). the mobile clinic,” says Mariam Nur Salah, 42, who lives at Jowle. “We are not incompetent. We are not lazy. We want to continue our “We value IOM’s collaboration with Puntland’s Ministry of Health in education, receive employment training and participate productively providing services to the most vulnerable people in IDP settlements. in the workforce. But we are hampered by a lack of opportunity. We The services reduce the burden on the government hospital in the city leave the country because we must survive,” says Ismail Said Ahmed, and this initiative should be a model for future health facilities,” says Dr one of 20 students who have been selected for an intensive soft-skills Abdirizak Hersi Hassan, the Director General of Puntland’s Ministry of and internship training being run by Somaliland authorities with support Health. from IOM. IOM, in collaboration with the Ministry, is establishing similar health The Japanese-funded 7-month training and internship programme, facilities and mobile clinics in other locations in Somalia and is expected which was launched in Borama, a border-town between Djibouti, to eventually expand the programme to reach another 100,000 IDPs, Ethiopia and Somaliland, will place graduate students in challenging, migrants, returnees, pastoralists as well as affected host communities. paid internship assignments with Somaliland local and regional authorities and private companies. In November 2013 IOM Tanzania, under the Capacity management information system along the borders of Building for Border Management (CBBM) project, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. rolled-out a biometric enrollment system for residence permits at Immigration Department HQ in Dar es The project was funded by the European Union and Salaam. co-funded by United Nations Tanzania (One UN Fund), TRanzania olls the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the The new system, built on the IOM Border Management US State Department’s Bureau for Population, Refugees Out E-system for Information System and customized to Tanzanian needs, and Migration (PRM) and Servico de Estrangeiros e will allow the immigration department to capture Fronteiras (SEF). biometric samples from the applicants and to register Residence Permits the applicants’ data in an electronic database. Under the two-year project, the immigration departments of the participating countries were The system will speed up the delivery process, reduce provided with trainings on counter trafficking, migration human error and provide more transparency during the and health, security documents, identity and data process, with the final objective of having an automated management. and paperless permit application process. In addition they were trained on border management “Tanzania immigration department has been waiting information system and on Standard Operating for a long time to have such a system, which will Procedures (SOPs.) Two workshops were conducted on considerably improve our ability to deliver an efficient the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) concept. and fast service to our customers,” said the Principal Commissioner of Immigration Service.

The roll-out of the e-system is one of the final activities of the CBBM project. The project, “Capacity Building for Border Management” is a cross-border approach to combat irregular migration and establish a border IOM Uganda Returns Trafficked IOM REGIONAL DIRECTOR HOLDS KEY TALKS Children to Communities of Origin ON MIGRATION ISSUES WITH UGANDAN MINISTERS IOM Uganda, in coordination with the senior caseworker in Karamoja. They explored ways through which labour government and civil society partners, migration offers opportunities to the people has safely returned 21 child victims A mother explained her worry after of Uganda, especially youth, as well as of trafficking to their communities of learning that her son had been the migrants’ vulnerability to trafficking in origin. The children had been trafficked trafficked: “My child disappeared in persons. Mr. El Nour highlighted the necessity from Karamoja, a remote region in June last year. I was told that my child of launching an information campaign to remote northeastern Uganda, to was in . I was very worried and I sensitize Ugandans about the benefits of Kampala for the purpose of street wanted him back,” she said. international migration as well as the risks. begging. The children will now undergo a three- IOM Regional Director Ashraf El Nour and Uganda’s Minister Mr. El Nour suggested ways in which IOM “My aunty told me: ‘There is no money week reintegration programme led of State for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees discusses and the Ministry can strengthen their so you must go to Kampala to look for by an IOM implementing partner in challanges associated with human mobility. partnership to protect victims of trafficking money on the street’. In Kampala big Karamoja before returning to their in Uganda. Hon. Busyine highlighted “that boys beat me, bullied me and snatched families and enrolling in school. Since The IOM Regional Director for East and Horn cooperation with IOM is important in terms my money until the authorities took me November 2011, IOM has assisted of Africa, Mr. Ashraf El Nour met the Hon. of strengthening assistance mechanisms for to a rehabilitation center,” explained a with the rehabilitation of 179 children Hilary Onek, Minister of State for Disaster victims of trafficking and for increasing the nine year old trafficked child. from Karamoja, who were trafficked to Preparedness and Refugees and the former capacity of the External Employment Unit to Kampala for labour exploitation. 163 Minister Hon. Musa Ochewo to discuss issues register and monitor external recruitment Before the return process, the children of these children are under the age of of migration and human mobility in Uganda. agencies.” received various services in Kampala, 14, and 98 are girls. In addition, IOM including medical assistance, nutritional Uganda has assisted 30 children under The talks centered on refugees, stranded Mr. El Nour and the Hon. Busingye agreed feeding, and shelter.“Counseling is a five years old. migrants, enviromentally induced on the importance of establishing a website main component of the assistance that displacements, as well as durable solutions that provides accurate information about we provide. These children have been IOM is planning to publish its research for Uganda’s large migrant population. Mr. El employment opportunities abroad. In forced to work on the streets and have into the causes and mechanisms of Nour commended the strong coordination addition, Mr. El Nour stressed the need to suffered and seen many terrible things,” trafficking of children from Karamoja to of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in “improve labour market information through said Martin Koriang Naburri, an NGO urban centres to assist stakeholders to dealing with refugee issues. He thanked the the work done by IOM in partnership with the caseworker. develop evidence-based policies. Return Ministry for the great support it has afforded government and other stakeholders”. and reintegration assistance to trafficked IOM in making its contribution to support IOM and its NGO partners worked in children is one of the key components the emergency refugee response and the Karamoja to locate the families of the of the Coordinated Response to Human migrants expelled from Tanzania. children and determine if it was in Trafficking in Uganda (CRTU) project the children’s best interest to return. funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy The Regional Director commended the role Simultaneously, IOM offered training in in Kampala. of the OPM in coordinating the refugee sustainable agriculture and integrated resettlement project which IOM supports in animal management to the children’s IOM Uganda works closely with the close partnership with UNHCR. Mr. El Nour families and communities. Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social and the Hon. Hilary Onek agreed to explore Development, as well as the Ministry of ways to strengthen that partnership. “By providing livelihood support we are Internal Affairs in the provision of direct working to ensure that families have assistance to trafficking victims. Meanwhile, Mr. Ashraf El Nour met the Hon. the necessary resources to financially Busingye Mary Karooro Okurut Minister for support their children. This way we Gender, Labour and Social Development, to are working towards preventing re- discuss labour migration concerns in Uganda. IOM Regional Director Ashraf El Nour and Hon. Mary trafficking,” said Bosco Okwonga, IOM’s Okurut, Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development during their meeting in Uganda. IOM Uganda Launches First IOM HOLDS REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON National Website on HEALTH PROGRAMMING ALONG THE TRANSPORT Trafficking in Persons CORRIDORS IN COMMUNITY IOM in partnership with the Ugandan awareness and discussions on TIP. There is an urgent need for harmonization of Government on 22 November 2013 In today’s increasingly technological national laws by East Africa Community (EAC) launched a new website (www. world, there is a growing opportunity member states to address health challenges crtuganda.com) designed to raise to bridge the knowledge gap on TiP facing migrants and host communities living awareness about trafficking in persons through internet-based platforms and along the transport corridors. (TiP) in the East Africa country. social medial. This was the outcome of a two day conference The new website informs Ugandans While the new CRTU website targets organized by IOM that brought together health about national, regional and global TiP global users interested in TiP from the experts drawn from EAC and dynamics. Users will also find relevant Ugandan context, it will primarily focus Development Community (SADC) to take stock information on counter-trafficking laws, on raising awareness among Ugandan of lessons learnt in the past and chart a way government actions and mechanisms youth with access to the internet. forward on ways to achieve a well-coordinated to combat TIP, and the latest news and response for health interventions within the publications on TIP. The new website is just one component transport corridors and in particular within of IOM Uganda’s Coordinated One Stop Border Posts. The website also provides contact Response to Human Trafficking in details of the Office to Combat Uganda (CRTU) project funded by Among other key recommendations include The forum concluded with the development Trafficking in Persons in Uganda and the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the formulation of joint regional health of a Terms of Reference for the “Regional Task Ugandan Consular officials abroad, in implemented in coordination with the programming strategy along the transport Force on Integrated Health and HIV and AIDS order to assist victims of trafficking or Ministry of Internal Affairs and the corridors that will involve partnering with Programming along Transport Corridors in EAC. those who may know a victim. Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social the private sector in order to achieve desired Development. goals. It was further agreed on the need to The main objective for the task force will be Additionally, the new website will use establish shared knowledge management to oversee the development of a regional social media like Facebook, Twitter, systems across the region, without creating strategy and operational tools to ensure Youtube and Flickr to generate parallel structures, to ensure effective sharing quality, accessible and consistent health of health information among partner states. services for migrants and host communities along transport corridors. IOM Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa, Mr. Ashraf El Nour urged the Migrants and local communities living in the stakeholders to support the EAC as it moves cross border regions and transport corridors in towards development of the strategy and East Africa face various challenges in accessing enhance collaboration, information sharing health care services. This is influenced be and take stock of strategic and programmatic factors such as poverty, poor social service interventions along the transport corridors. delivery, gender, language, immigration status and culture. “We need to advocate for the creation of inclusive policy, proper coordination and collaboration, and comprehensive health services for migrants and local communities that facilitates access to health within East African integration, to spur economic growth and positive development outcomes,” he said. THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE ON MIXED MIGRATION FOR THE HORN OF AFRICA AND YEMEN TO HOLD ITS THIRD MEETING IN NAIROBI, KENYA

The Regional Committee on Mixed Migration mixed migration in the Horn of Africa and how for the Horn of Africa and Yemen is set to hold the governments in the region can better work its third meeting in Nairobi, Kenya from 30-31 together in managing mixed migration flows. October 2013. This meeting aims to improve collaboration between Governments in the Limited economic opportunities, environmental Horn of Africa and Yemen, as well as with shocks, and conflict continue to drive large international partners, to effectively manage numbers of migrants from the Horn of Africa migration and improve the well-being of to Yemen. Boats crossing the Arabian Sea or migrants. Red Sea to Yemen are often overcrowded and refugees and migrants are vulnerable to The formation of the Regional Committee exploitation, violence and sexual abuse at all on Mixed Migration is a direct follow up to stages of their journeys. the recommendations made during the 2010 Regional Consultations held in Djibouti, and the From January to August 2013, 53,378 migrants first Regional Committee held in December 2011 arrived in Yemen from the Horn of Africa via the in Addis Ababa. During the 23 – 24 September Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. This represents a 2012 meeting that took place in Djibouti, the 26% decrease in arrivals during the same period Committee recommended the inclusion of in 2012. Concurrently this year has seen a rise Kenya as a committee member, and requested in mixed migration flows from Horn of Africa Kenya to host the event in 2013. This shows to Europe via North Africa, as evidenced by Kenya’s increasing significance as a transit and the boat tragedies in early October in Italy and destination country for mixed migration flows Malta. from Horn of Africa countries using the Southern Route, passing through Tanzania, Malawi, Additionally, an increase in migrant numbers Mozambique and Zimbabwe to South Africa. from the Horn of Africa to South Africa has been observed in 2013. The regional committee The Kenyan government will host acknowledges the complex dimensions of this representatives of the Governments of Djibouti, problem and is placing emphasis on strategic Ethiopia, Puntland, Somaliland and Yemen, as regional governmental initiatives that will ensure well as from IGAD and the AU. Representatives increased protection of migrants’ rights and a from the Federal Government of Somalia will reduction in the number of lives lost. attend as a committee member for the first time, following recommendations from the 2012 meeting. Observer states will include representatives of the Governments of Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Egypt from the respective embassies in Kenya. Based on progress made and continued challenges in the region, this meeting will focus The Regional Committee on Mixed Migration was for the first time on three key issues: Migration and Security; hosted by the Government of Kenya. The Committee recommended Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration; the inclusion of Kenya as a committee member in September 2012. and Labour Migration. This focus will provide a better understanding of the phenomenon of IOM THANKS THE DONORS AND PARTNERS WHO HAVE FEATURED IN THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER AND WITH WHOSE SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE

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