IOM Deputy Director General for Operations

The Deputy Director General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels, directly supervises the IOM Development Fund Unit, the Cash-based Initiatives Unit, as well as the following organizational structures: the Department of Operations and Emergencies; the Department of Peace and Development Coordination; the Department of Programme Support and Migration Management; the Global Data Institute; and the Department of Policy and Research. 

Department of Operations and Emergencies

The Department of Operations and Emergencies directs, oversees and coordinates IOM’s resettlement work and transport programmes and oversees IOM’s preparedness and response activities in relation to humanitarian crises and emergencies. It coordinates IOM’s participation in humanitarian responses and provides migration services in emergencies to address the needs of individuals and uprooted communities, thereby contributing to their protection. The Department provides technical support to efforts in the field, particularly in responding to forced migration and mass population movements, including protracted internal and cross-border displacement and refugee situations. It provides strategic policy and operational recommendations, guidance on project development and implementation, and inter-agency coordination. This contributes to improving the conditions of crisis-affected populations and leads to life-saving interventions. The Department represents the Organization in the IASC up to the Director level.

The Department also supports the development of principled approaches and strategic documents, and ensures that IOM’s crisis-related priorities are aptly reflected in internal and external systems and processes. The Department also advises on operational policy and advocacy and facilitates IOM’s participation in global and country-level inter-agency humanitarian coordination forums, mechanisms and processes, including following up on institutional humanitarian commitments, such as those made under the Grand Bargain. Learn more

Preparedness and Response Division
 
The Preparedness and Response Division serves as the institutional focal point for humanitarian preparedness and response to sudden-onset and protracted crises. Working in close coordination with other IOM departments and regional thematic specialists, the Division provides technical expertise, operational support and policy guidance to country offices on emergency preparedness and response planning and implementation, and ensures that country offices are engaging at country, regional and global levels on relevant humanitarian programming. The Division maintains an operational overview of humanitarian crisis responses, providing support across a broad range of sectors, to ensure that IOM policies and operations are in line with those set by inter-agency humanitarian coordination frameworks, including the IASC and the Grand Bargain. In this context, the Division also coordinates the implementation of IOM’s institutional emergency procedures, supports humanitarian resource mobilization efforts, and supports global and country alignment within the humanitarian programme cycle. The Division is composed of the following units/functions: (a) Preparedness; (b) Emergency Response; (c) Camp Coordination and Camp Management; (d) Shelter and Settlements; (e) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; and (f) Division Support.

Resettlement and Movement Management Division

The Resettlement and Movement Management Division directs, oversees and coordinates IOM’s resettlement work and transport programmes, which include humanitarian evacuations. The Division coordinates the policy, programmatic and resource management aspects of IOM’s work in these areas and provides direction, guidance and support to managers of resettlement and movement programmes. It also negotiates, oversees and maintains the Organization’s global agreements with air carriers and other transport providers and is the focal point for managing movements of IOM-assisted passengers travelling by air, land or sea.

Department of Peace and Development Coordination 

The Department of Peace and Development Coordination oversees and coordinates IOM’s policy, programmatic and operational work to empower migrants, displaced persons and communities and facilitate progress towards the establishment of peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Department contributes directly to the implementation of the “resilience” pillar of the IOM Strategic Vision and to IOM’s commitment to the United Nations development system and its peace and security reform efforts. Drawing on integrated and complementary approaches, the Department ensures that support for policy processes, governance and operations are mutually reinforcing, coherent and comprehensive, and adapted to risks and opportunities associated with different migration and displacement contexts.

The Department provides knowledge management, policy and programmatic support to regional and country offices related to the 2030 Agenda and IOM activities related to transition, recovery, peacebuilding, transitional justice, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and governance. In addition, the Department promotes integrated approaches that help to reinforce IOM’s commitment to the humanitarian, development and peace nexus.

Given the cross-cutting nature of sustainable development, displacement solutions, peacebuilding and climate action, the Department works in close partnership with other Departments under the Deputy Director General for Operations to support transition programming, while also mainstreaming peace- and development-related work throughout IOM’s portfolio and integrating climate change and environmental considerations into the different thematic areas of work covered by the Organization. The Department also engages in global and regional inter-agency coordination mechanisms, supporting, inter alia, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the Global Compact, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement on climate change, the IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons and the twin resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council related to restoring and sustaining peace.

Transition and Recovery Division

The Transition and Recovery Division is the institutional focal point on prevention, resilience and solutions within crisis settings and fragile contexts. It addresses socioeconomic, peace, security and development challenges found in natural, human-induced and protracted crises as a way to prevent and resolve migration crises and assist governments, communities and vulnerable populations to cope with migration-related pressures. The Division promotes sustainable transition from relief to recovery and development. The Division addresses drivers of migration and root causes of complex migration crises; promotes human mobility as a means to reduce vulnerability and to progressively transition towards durable solutions to displacement; and invests in conflict analysis, stabilization and development-oriented solutions. During the crisis and post-crisis phase of a response, the Division is responsible for providing policy advice, technical assistance, capacity-building, and operational support to resolve land disputes and mobility-related land issues, and for providing reparations and other transitional justice measures to victims of systemic and widespread human rights violations. The Division is also the focal point for global partnerships on elections support, and is composed of two units: the Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice Unit, focused on supporting conflict prevention and resolution activities; and the Recovery, Durable Solutions and Community Development Unit, which supports organizational efforts related to the sustainable resolution of displacement and advancing interventions and policies on community-driven recovery and development in crisis-affected and fragile contexts.

Migration, Environment, Climate Change and Risk Reduction Division

The Migration, Environment, Climate Change and Risk Reduction Division is the institutional focal point for the integration of considerations related to human mobility and climate change, disasters and environmental degradation in all relevant governance instruments and policy processes, at global, regional, national and local levels. The Division leads the implementation of IOM’s Institutional Strategy on Migration, Environment and Climate Change 2021–2030, in coordination with all relevant entities across the Organization. The Division has the institutional responsibility to oversee, support and coordinate the development of policy guidance for activities with a migration, environment and climate change dimension. It formulates global strategies that address the long-term impacts on human mobility in the context of environmental change, land degradation, natural hazards leading to disasters, and climate change impacts on livelihoods; integrates environmental and climatic factors in other migration management sectors; and maintains the IOM Environmental Migration Portal.

The Division reinforces operational efforts to address the longer-term environmental drivers of migration and displacement, and to undertake disaster risk reduction activities, in conjunction with IOM’s preparedness and risk analysis measures for rapid-onset events, and to leverage the resilience and adaptation value of mobility in the face of disasters and environmental change. Its functions include policy support; capacity-building; research and knowledge-sharing; and programme support on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, including risk assessment, hazard prevention and long-term mitigation, community-based risk reduction and nature-based solutions. Learn more

Sustainable Development Unit 

The Sustainable Development Unit is the institutional focal point for mainstreaming and maximizing the impact of IOM’s contribution to achievement of the 2030 Agenda. The Unit leads the implementation of the IOM Institutional Strategy on Migration and Sustainable Development 2019–2023 through a whole-of-organization approach in support of the United Nations Decade of Action for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Key areas of work include promoting integrated governance mechanisms and policy approaches for social and economic development to maximize the impact of IOM programmes to empower and enable migrants and displaced populations to contribute and benefit from development processes; advancing inclusive policy and financing approaches to enable migrants, displaced persons and transnational communities to contribute to sustainable development; and addressing the drivers of migration and displacement in fragile and development contexts. Learn more

Department of Programme Support and Migration Management 

The Department of Programme Support and Migration Management contributes to good governance of migration and human mobility by informing coherent policy development and implementation, advancing migration management and strengthening institutional capacities, as well as ensuring migrant protection, empowerment, inclusion and health through equity and social cohesion. The Department works towards strengthening complementarities among key areas of work and supports the implementation of the Global Compact, the 2030 Agenda and other relevant international frameworks and approaches, such as the humanitarian, development and peace nexus. In addition to relying on its internal expertise, the Department also draws on knowledge from strategic partnerships and multi- stakeholder initiatives within its various thematic areas, comprising a wide range of stakeholders, such as other United Nations agencies and international institutions, the private sector, academia, migrant and diaspora associations and civil society. The Department provides thematic expertise and support to field offices to generate new thematic knowledge based on experiences and evidence at field level, as well as leveraging the thematic expertise from different areas to identify solutions in an integrated manner, Capacity development support to governments and partners is the overarching approach to all thematic areas. Learn more

Coordination and Capacity Development Support Unit

The Coordination and Capacity Development Support Unit provides methodological guidance, initiatives and resources in the area of capacity-building, including the Capacity Development For Migration Management Guidance Note and Toolbox for IOM staff and the Essentials of Migration Management 2.0 (EMM2.0) programme, and works in close coordination with the African Capacity Building Centre on Migration Management, which provides Africa-wide technical assistance in matters pertaining to migration management.

Immigration and Border Governance Division

The Immigration and Border Governance Division has the institutional responsibility for overseeing activities related to border and identity solutions, and immigration and visa policy and programming, designed to assist governments in the development, testing and implementation of innovative approaches to address migration management challenges. The Division provides capacity enhancement and technical assistance to address core capacity development needs regarding border and identity management, ranging from policy advice to operational solutions, including automated processing systems. Moreover, the Division supports immigration and consular authorities in managing visa application processes through a wide range of tailored, technology-driven and cost-effective operational solutions. These include comprehensive assistance for family reunification processes, the management of visa application centres, the facilitation of verification services on behalf of Member States and implementation of consular services. Learn more

Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion Division

The Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion Division supports the development of innovative and collaborative solutions to address challenges related to the lack of safe, orderly and regular mobility channels. By working in collaboration with United Nations partners, civil society, diaspora communities and private sector partners, the Division promotes innovation, knowledge management, cross-thematic collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches in programming areas such as migrant inclusion and social cohesion; facilitation of human and economic mobility; support for skills-based and talent mobility schemes; collaboration with transnational communities and diasporas; and labour migration and ethical recruitment. The Division also aims to leverage and scale up global initiatives, such as the International Recruitment Integrity System (IRIS); the iDiaspora.org platform; and the Joint Global Initiative on Diversity Inclusion and Social Cohesion (DISC Initiative). Learn more

Migration Health Division

The Migration Health Division oversees migration health services globally, ensuring that its services and programming are integrated throughout the work of the Organization, are in line with public health and human rights principles, and enable migrants to contribute to the socioeconomic development of their home and host communities. The services, support and guidance provided by the Division aim to meet the needs of States in managing health-related aspects of migration by promoting evidence-based policies, sharing practices and providing a platform for multisectoral and multi-country collaboration. The Division provides technical guidance and policy advice and establishes partnerships with relevant governmental, multilateral, civil society and private entities in the area of migration health to establish migrant-inclusive, people-centred health systems and provide capacity-building for the health and relevant non-health sector workforce. The Division addresses the health needs of migrants and the public health of host communities through several units, namely: the Migration Health Policy Advice and Partnerships Unit; the Migration Health Assessments and Travel Health Assistance Unit; the Health Promotion and Assistance for Migrants Unit; the Migration Health Assistance for Crisis-affected Populations Unit; the Migration and Vaccination Unit; the Global Migration Health Support Unit; the Migration Health Informatics Unit; and the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Unit. Learn more

Protection Division

The Protection Division works to realize IOM’s commitment to address the needs of, and promote and uphold the rights of, migrants, displaced persons, communities and affected populations in accordance with the letter and spirit of the relevant bodies of law. It also offers support to governments in carrying out their duties to respect, protect and fulfil these rights, thus contributing to managing migration and addressing internal displacement in line with international standards and practices. The Division has three workstreams: humanitarian protection; assistance to migrants in situations of vulnerability; and return and reintegration. Working in partnership with other stakeholders, the Division responds both in humanitarian and non-humanitarian settings through the following six intervention pillars: direct assistance; training and capacity development; data, research and learning; convening and dialogue; advocacy and communications; and the provision of thematic guidance. Specifically, protection involves activities that seek to directly secure individual or group rights, as well as activities that aim to create a society in which individual and group rights are recognized and upheld. Assistance includes all direct support activities that target individuals and their families, their communities, as well as broader structural level interventions and support to governments as duty bearers. Individual and family assistance can include support to meet immediate, medium- or long-term needs, including food, shelter and accommodation, health care, education and training, employment and/or income generation, family assessments and reunification, counselling, referrals, and safe and dignified voluntary return and/or sustainable reintegration across the economic, social and psychosocial dimensions. Learn more

Department of Policy and Research 

The Department of Policy and Research supports IOM’s work in the areas of migration policy, migration research and international migration law, and acts as a catalyst for learning and innovation. This is achieved by fostering and strengthening the interlinkages between, and promoting systemic approaches to, institutional policy coordination and development, migration research, knowledge creation and management, and innovation and learning across the Organization, as well as the delivery of advice to internal and external stakeholders on migration policy, research and international migration law. The Department works in close coordination with all relevant organizational units.

The Department coordinates and supports the development of evidence and rights-based institutional migration policies and positions, while also providing guidance, technical assistance and quality assurance to other Departments and regional and country offices on their research, publication, international migration law and migration policy activities. The Department also works to develop IOM’s institutional capacity and learning on innovation, learning and knowledge management to empower IOM staff in their work. Externally, the Department works to enhance the Organization’s ability to deliver high quality support, advice, and capacity development activities to external stakeholders. It does so through targeted support and training to IOM regional and country offices, external engagement on migration policy and legislation development, migration research, international migration law and knowledge management. The Department also participates in and partners with key global migration policy, law and research institutions and initiatives within and beyond the United Nations system. Learn more

Policy Coordination Unit

The Policy Coordination Unit serves as the institutional focal point for identifying cross-cutting issues and institutional policy gaps and addressing them through the coordination of forward-looking and Organization-wide migration policy development processes that are evidence-based and firmly rooted in IOM’s knowledge and programmatic experience. The Unit also facilitates strategic foresight and scenario planning for use in the development of IOM migration policy perspectives and advice for external stakeholders; provides guidance and technical support on migration policy development; develops and delivers training to IOM staff on strategic migration policy; and manages and curates migration policy- relevant knowledge management tools and platforms.

Migration Research and Publications Unit

The Migration Research and Publications Unit is responsible for supporting IOM’s efforts in developing and conducting policy-oriented migration research and analysis, as well as implementing migration research and analysis initiatives and projects in order to inform programme delivery and policy development. It promotes deeper understanding of international migration within and outside IOM and is responsible for preparing the Organization’s biennial flagship report, the World Migration Report. The Unit is also responsible for developing and coordinating the Organization’s overall research and publishing standards and for the production of IOM publications (published on the IOM Publications Platform), including on specific migration topics, migration law, and country migration profiles. The Unit partners with applied and academic migration researchers from around the world and is the focal point for academic research collaborations, including managing the International Migration Journal.

International Migration Law Unit

The International Migration Law Unit is the institutional focal point for promoting awareness on and understanding of international migration law and standards applicable to migrants and migration. A key objective of the Unit is – in collaboration with United Nations, civil society and academic partners – to disseminate and increase knowledge both within IOM and among governments and other actors of the international legal standards that govern migration and protect the rights of individuals involved in migration. The Unit develops the capacity of governments and other actors, and promotes and supports the development of migration governance systems that respect human rights and other international law. Furthermore, the Unit assists governments in the elaboration, reform and implementation of migration legislation, policies and procedures consistent with applicable international and regional frameworks and rights-based approaches. It also provides legal guidance, expert advice and technical support to Headquarters and country and regional offices on related projects, thematic issues and policy questions. Learn more

Innovation and Knowledge Management Unit

The Innovation and Knowledge Management Unit provides knowledge management tools and innovations to strengthen IOM capacity to learn from its programmatic expertise and that of its partners by analysing and sharing – both internally and externally – lessons learned, best practices, innovative approaches and programme evaluations.

Global Data Institute 

The Global Data Institute seeks to effectively leverage IOM’s role as a key contributor in the international community’s efforts to broaden and strengthen the evidence base on the movement of people at the global level, including in terms of migration and displacement. The Institute’s aim is to foster good migration governance and support the implementation and monitoring of a range of international frameworks in migration, displacement, development, humanitarian and other related fields, notably the 2030 Agenda, the Global Compact, the Agenda for Humanity and the Grand Bargain, as well as frameworks relevant to the IASC. The Institute pursues this objective by increasing the availability of and access to migration data, improving data quality, helping to address data gaps, supporting follow-up of relevant global processes, championing data protection and data innovation, and acting as a convener for data actors. These efforts are undertaken, where relevant, in the context of the United Nations Network on Migration and in line with wider data-related efforts of the United Nations and other inter-agency efforts, including in the humanitarian field. Learn more

Displacement Tracking Matrix

The Displacement Tracking Matrix is a system to track and monitor displacement and population mobility. It is designed to regularly and systematically capture, process and disseminate information to provide a better understanding of the movements and evolving needs of displaced populations. The Displacement Tracking Matrix provides primary data and information on displacement, at country and global level. It is comprised of four distinct components: mobility tracking; flow monitoring; registration; and surveys. Learn more

Global Migration Data Analysis Centre

The Global Migration Data Analysis Centre works to improve international migration data and analysis to inform migration policy. The Centre is located in Berlin and its objectives are to foster better analysis, use and presentation of migration data, to establish the Organization as a key source of reliable data on migration through strategic partnerships, and to act as a data hub for decision makers and practitioners seeking the best available statistics. Learn more

IOM Development Fund Unit

The IOM Development Fund Unit provides support to developing Member States, Member States with economies in transition and, in coordination with the regional offices, to the relevant country offices in the development and implementation of joint government–IOM capacity-building projects to address specific areas of migration management. Learn more

Cash-based Initiatives Unit

The Cash-based Initiatives Unit leads IOM’s effort to increase, coordinate and standardize the Organization’s use of cash-based initiatives. This includes designing relevant tools and reviewing internal processes in coordination with all stakeholders, while also providing technical support and capacity- building to IOM country and regional offices to make sure they are well-equipped to efficiently implement cash-based initiatives. Learn more