Tuesday, December 10, 2019

EU, IOM Nepal to launch project on mainstreaming migration into development

The European Union (EU) in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is launching a project on Mainstreaming Migration into International Cooperation and Development (MMICD) this week. The initiative is part of a follow-up of the previous assessment that found there was a need for improved coherence between migration, sustainable development, education and rural development.
Under the project, which is also being implemented in Ecuador and Madagascar, IOM will work with partners in Nepal to integrate migration into development planning, with a focus on education and rural development. Assessments and trainings to identify links between different policy areas will be conducted in consultation with stakeholders to develop a roadmap for further action, reads a press note issued by the IOM Office in Nepal today.
Piloting the project in Nepal is timely as the 'decade of action' to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is approaching. Nepal is also preparing for its Voluntary National Review (VNR) in July 2020, which will examine progress made toward the SDGs at the national and sub-national levels, according to the press note.
The EU-financed assessment earlier recommended that Nepal upgrade its data on internal and international migration, strengthen coordination between existing migration measures and new policies in different sectors, and update its migration policies to reflect the complex relationship between migration and sustainable development.
Deputy head of the EU Delegation to Nepal Eloisa Astudillo Fernandez highlighted the value of integrating migration into development sectors. “It's a two-way relationship between sustainable development and migration as it can both benefit migrants and transit communities, but at the same time it brings many risks,” the press note quoted Fernandez as saying. “Therefore, it is important to manage the whole process of migration in a way that gives as many benefits as possible while also mitigating the risks.”
“For the project, we have identified nine sectors that are impacted by migration,” he said, adding that the IOM has – in Nepal – chosen to focus on the rural development and education sectors. “The idea is to integrate the concept of migration within those sectors, as they have a strong impact on the outflow of migrants from Nepal.”

No comments: