The Foreign Service Journal, March 2013

26 MARCH 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL example of this in Somalia, one of 14 countries where IOM operates such programs. Designed as a “reverse brain-drain” mechanism, RQN mirrors circular migration programs in more stable areas. These programs acknowledge people’s desire to work and live in countries facing labor shortages, but also acknowledge their desire to return, either permanently or temporarily, to their countries of origin in order to contribute to progress and development there. In Somalia, for example, IOM has already assisted 125 Somalis in returning from abroad to support the government by building local capacity. In other words, migration is not just about moving from Point A to Point B and remaining there. It is about human mobility. Taking this into account, circular migration promotes orderly migration, stability and prosperity by reducing the number of visa overstayers who stay put out of fear of not being able to renew their visa at a later date. These individu- als would otherwise return to their own countries, where their savings would give them a higher standard of living or their new skills would afford them better job opportunities and social standing. Such measures make migration more acceptable to host populations who fear cultural and political change, and also make migration more conducive to sustain- able development in countries of origin. Addressing Migrants’ Vulnerabilities Migrants, whether forced or voluntary, national or inter- national, experience distinctive vulnerabilities that must be carefully assessed for assistance to be effective. These include trafficking, exploitation and other forms of abuse, ill health, and lack of access to public services and human rights pro- tections. These vulnerabilities are specific to migrants’ legal standing (or lack thereof ), but are especially prevalent among women and children. During crises, already weak governments are often unable to provide basic services, much less manage their borders to prevent human trafficking, protect victims of abuse and pros- ecute perpetrators. Yet fighting trafficking and exploitation is not just in the interests of all countries that oppose organized crime; it is to the benefit of all countries that seek durable solutions to crises that displace people. Reducing this vulnerability not only requires local liveli- hood projects, but comprehensive migration management projects. These include border-guard capacity-building, assis- tance to migrants and victims of trafficking, and the facilita- tion of regular temporary labor migration. Labor migration push-and-pull factors do not cease to exist following a natural disaster or conflict, so orderly labor migration can reduce competitive pressure on local resources while avoiding an increase in mobility-related vulnerability. Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities effectively in crises or in situations of chronic insecurity depend, therefore, on understanding specific migration dynamics, not simply applying a one-size-fits-all humanitarian approach. The Value of Collaboration I have tried to show that managing migration, whether in zones of conflict-induced crises or in more peaceful areas, requires a holistic approach to assessing vulnerabilities and addressing them in the context of global migration trends. To promote this approach, IOM has developed a Migration Crisis Operational Framework in close consultation with member states and partner organizations. (Although that designation emphasizes crisis response, it does so to illustrate how all the elements of migration management can be put together effec- tively under the most trying circumstances.) In the growing Mali crisis, for example, IOM is applying this framework to analyze how the varied mobility patterns predat- ing the crisis are affecting the ways in which different Malians seek refuge from the fighting within the country and in neigh- boring countries. The framework approach also assesses the implications for assistance design and delivery to those fleeing the fighting, given IOM’s role as a shelter cluster coordinator, and for providing support to Mali and other countries in the region in border management and countertrafficking. For example, the nomadic Tuareg from the north prefer to seek refuge in neighboring countries, following pre-crisis migration patterns, due to ethnic affinities and the general fear of being persecuted in the south as a party to the conflict. This movement is facilitated by the protocols of the Economic Community of West African States on free movement, resi- dence and establishment for its nationals. The exception to The drivers of human mobility are such that large-scale migration will continue to be a “mega-trend” in the 21st century.