Senegal 
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Overview Migration ActivitiesSenegal has traditionally been an important country of destination in the West Africa region, and has now also become a country of emigration and transit migration. Since its establishment in 1998, the IOM office in Dakar, Senegal, has been working with the Government of Senegal and other stakeholders in the field of migration to address the challenges and opportunities presented by these dynamic migratory patterns and trends. IOM’s activities in Senegal have focused on building on the link between migration and development in Senegal, counter-trafficking activities, assisted voluntary return and reintegration support for migrants returning to Senegal, and strengthening Government capacity in labour migration management and in migration policy development. IOM is working to support the Government of Senegal in its effort to strengthen its institutional capacity in the area of labour migration management and to expand legal labour migration opportunities. IOM is also implementing programmes that maximize the use of human and financial resources of the Senegalese diaspora for the development of their country. IOM takes action to promote the health of migrants and mobile populations throughout the migration process and in the field of public health in communities of origin, transit and destination, while also strengthening health systems and migration policies and practices. The IOM activities in the fight against human trafficking include capacity building activities of the Government in combating human trafficking and supporting the implementation of the Action Plan of ECOWAS in the fight against trafficking and assistance to child victims of trafficking. IOM supports assistance programmes for voluntary return of migrants of different nationalities from Europe, Libya, Morocco and other countries; these programmes can include the provision of assistance for their reintegration in their country of origin. Research is a transversal axis of IOM activities and IOM aims to enhance research on migration issues in Senegal and to improve government data management capacities in the area of migration. Up-to-date data on migration facilitates greater coherence and a more comprehensive approach to the design of national migration policies. Movement, Emergency and Post-crisis Migration Management Donors
IOM’s activities in this area include the resettlement of refugees in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia; family reunification; assistance for the voluntary return of migrants of various nationalities; return and reintegration assistance to victims of trafficking; surveys for tracing family and assistance to stranded migrants. Projects
Migration and Development Donors
Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) was initiated in 2001 to facilitate the transfer of skills and resources of the African Diaspora to their countries of origin. The overall objective of the MIDA programme is to assist African governments to create sustainable links with their Diaspora. MIDA focuses on the circulation of competencies, expertise and experience of migrants and Diaspora, without jeopardizing their legal status in their host countries or newly adopted home countries. The MIDA programme also promotes Diaspora investments in entrepreneurial projects that foster socioeconomic development and reduce poverty in countries of origin. Projects
Regulating Migration Donors
Labour Migration. IOM’s activities in labour migration have increased significantly in recent years, with several active projects in Senegal. IOM mainly focuses on building the capacity of the Senegalese Government in the area of labour migration management, both at the national and at the local level, through training activities and provision of technical support. Specific attention is given to the establishment of a coherent labour market information system and the promotion of south-south cooperation and regional partnerships in the field of labour migration. IOM’s activities also seek to enhance the protection of migrant workers in and from Senegal, especially the most vulnerable ones such as women and low-skilled workers who are active in the informal sector. Projects
Donor
Counter Trafficking. Patterns of migration in Senegal are strongly rooted in socio-economic, political, cultural and religious factors. Despite significant commitments from the Senegalese Government to fight trafficking in persons, human trafficking continues to be particularly serious in Senegal. IOM’s overarching objective in Senegal is to strengthen the capacity of the Senegalese Government and the civil society to prevent human trafficking and protect victims, in line with international and regional agreements such as the 2001 ECOWAS Declaration against Trafficking in persons, the 2006 Joint Plan of Action of ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the 2005 Law against Trafficking. IOM has been providing counter-trafficking services for almost a decade in Senegal, as a means of strengthening the capacity of Government and the civil society with migration challenges in a comprehensive, co-operative and ultimately self-reliant way. Moreover, with the guidance and support of the Assisted Voluntary Return and Counter Trafficking Division at IOM’s Headquarters, IOM missions in West Africa since 1999 have sought to enhance national, bilateral and multilateral cooperation efforts, and to enable and expand dialogue, planning and practical cooperation among States on trafficking-related issues. Due to its solid presence across the ECOWAS and ECCAS region, with established country missions in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone, IOM is well positioned to support the development of a coalition of government and non-governmental interests to combat trafficking in persons. Project
Facilitating Migration Technical Cooperation. Historically, West Africa has always represented an important zone of human movements, individual and collective, voluntary or forced migratory flows due to economic and family motivations. Today, migration in its most diverse and complex aspects is a priority on the political agendas of many countries of the sub-region, seeking to institute a more methodical and beneficial approach to the management of migration, with all the challenges and difficulties inherent in the pursuit of such an objective. Relevant institutional infrastructures have now been established in an attempt both to fight against the negative aspects of migration and promote and enjoy its benefits. IOM has gained vast and valuable expertise in promoting migration management mechanisms in West Africa and in cooperation with ECOWAS. Project
Migration Policy and Research Donors
Several IOM programmes address data collection and data management gaps in the West and Central African regions, recognizing that sound data and coordinated data management methods are essential for informing migration policy and addressing capacity building and migration management difficulties in countries in the region. Migration issues are not limited to distinct countries in the region but are interdependent given the nature of African migration. Projects
Migration, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation Donor
Improvement and Development of Forest Ecosystem Services Project and Promotion of Youth Employment in the Environment Sector For over a decade, the rate of deforestation in Senegal has remained a concern: The main causes of deforestation are directly linked to patterns of land use such as clearing for agriculture, increasing demand for wood energy especially in growing urban centres, and overgrazing. Rapid and steady environmental change exacerbated by climate change and man-made intervention, has increased the vulnerability of communities throughout Senegal with a stark impact on population movements. In response to this situation, IOM is participating in a UN joint programme in cooperation with FAO, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNIDO and WFP. The overarching goal of this programme funded by the Spanish MDG Trust Fund is to contribute to poverty reduction through the sustainable conservation and management of forest ecosystems. A different but complementary initiative has been developed by IOM to address irregular emigration of young Senegalese to Europe by offering them an alternative and by promoting social reintegration of young irregular returnees. The project explores new green job opportunities in the area of environment and recycling. This initiative responds to a specific request of the Ministry of Youth and Youth Employment in Senegal and is financed by IOM 1035 Facility to support actions in developing countries. The analysis of job opportunities in the environmental sector will result in the establishment of job creation pilot projects for the youth and in strengthening the capacity of government officials through training workshops.
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IOM Senegal
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Regional Office for Central and West Africa
BP 16 838
Dakar-Fann
Senegal
| Tel: | +221.3 386 96 20 0 |
| Fax: | +221.3 386 96 23 3 |
| Mobile: | +221. 7 763 86 04 7 |
For information on IOM activities in Senegal:
IOM Country Office, Dakar
Partners
- Association of Ecuadorian Municipalities (AME)
- Ministry of Culture
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Environment
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Government
- Ministry of Public Health
- National Institute for the Family and the Childhood (INNFA)
- National Police, Specialized Department for Children and Adolescents (DINAPEN)
- National Secretariat for Migrants (SENAMI)
- National Women Advisory Board (CONAMU)
- Plan Ecuador
- CARE International
- National Council of Water Resources (CNRH)
- Red Cross
- Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)
- CARE International
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
- United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
- United Nations Development fund for Women (UNIFEM)
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
