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Self Report 2018

The self-report on WHS Commitments below is organized according to the 24 transformations of the Agenda for Humanity. It is based on commitments pledged at the time of report submission. Click on the 'Expand' symbol to expand each section and read the reporting inputs by transformation.

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  • 1B
    Act early

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to act early upon potential conflict situations based on early warning findings and shared conflict analysis, in accordance with international law.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to make successful conflict prevention visible by capturing, consolidating and sharing good practices and lessons learnt.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a member of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Reference Group on Risk, Early Warning and Preparedness. As a member of this group, IOM works to develop and utilize shared analysis of risks to contribute to inter-agency early warning initiatives. In 2017, IOM also participated in the inter-agency effort to update the Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP) guidance to improve common analysis and strategic planning at the country level.   

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Through the feedback IOM receives from its country offices implementing preparedness efforts. 

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Funding amounts
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Lack of funding to implement preparedness efforts limits the amount of mitigation/prevention that can be realistically implemented to address risks identified through early warning risk analysis. 

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    Continued engagement in inter-agency platforms that facilitate common analysis, early warning and the development of tools to implement inter-agency preparedness at the country level. 

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to improve prevention and peaceful resolution capacities at the national, regional and international level improving the ability to work on multiple crises simultaneously.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to sustain political leadership and engagement through all stages of a crisis to prevent the emergence or relapse into conflict.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to address root causes of conflict and work to reduce fragility by investing in the development of inclusive, peaceful societies.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    In addition to the International Organization for Migration's (IOM’s) Disarmament Demobilization & Reintegration specific programming, in 2017 the organization expanded its portfolio of peacebuilding projects to help individuals, communities and institutions address the root causes of conflict and manage conflict triggers and dynamics to a total of 39 projects across 14 countries .

    This programming covers a broad area of work from establishing a cross-border peacebuilding platform between communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia to strengthening community policing and crime prevention in Panama and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Other: Projects & programmes are monitored at the institutional level through established reporting mechanisms
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Project and programme level evaluations and dynamic on-line exchange of achievements and lessons learned further contribute to assessing progress.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Funding amounts
    • Human resources/capacity
    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    IOM continues to focus on addressing conflict dynamics and root causes as drivers of displacement, to prevent conflict and to support peace and reintegration. In 2018, IOM intends to deepen conflict sensitive practices in programming particularly with regards to preventing extreme violence, and further integrating social cohesion and resilience, community-based prevention methods within programmes addressing youth at risk, return and reintegration.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Coordinating peacebuilding efforts with higher level political processes; Linking peacebuilding programming to macro peacemaking efforts. Shared problem analysis as foundation for programming. 

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    Shared context analysis. Deepening participatory practices as a platform for enhanced peacebuilding efforts. Application of Accountability to Affected Populations tools across programming in conflict contexts.  

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Local action

  • 1D
    Develop solutions with and for people

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM commits to continue to refine and expand the work of former combatants, reintegration and security sector reform as a critical peace building partner in the international community.
    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    In pursuit of sustainable post-conflict transition and peacebuilding, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) built on its experience in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) (126 projects in 32 countries over the last 25 years) and continued its support for reintegration processes, including the reintegration of ex-combatants in Colombia, and developing innovative programming in Somalia, Kenya, Central African Republic and the Lake Chad Basin Region, addressing the new challenges of reintegration of former members of, often sanctioned, non-state armed groups in the context of ongoing conflict. In these new contexts, IOM is expanding its technical assistance to civilian governments and supporting the development of innovative models for transitional assistance and reintegration. 

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Other: IOM's internal monitoring mechanisms support the assessment of progress towards of the Agenda for Humanity
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    In highly dynamic contexts, where established practices must be adapted to new problem sets, IOM has successfully used a range of expert consultants to help calibrate programme interventions and develop new strategic approaches.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Faced with new problems in contexts that lack underlying conditions which have historically defined the DDR work, progress is slower. Building multi-stakeholder and intra-governmental platforms led by civilian governments presents new challenges in contexts of conflict.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    IOM will continue work with the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration to develop guidance and best practices to address reintegration in contexts of ongoing conflict and violent extremism. IOM will also support the development of programming for the reintegration of foreign terrorist fighters & returning family members. Special emphasis will be placed on continuing IOM’s support for reintegration in the Lake Chad Basin region.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Development and circulation/validation of lessons learned from nascent engagements tailored to reintegration in contexts of ongoing conflict. Establishment of coherent approaches to governmental engagement to create national strategies and frameworks for reintegration in contexts of violent extremism and ongoing conflict. 

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    Formulation of national action plans, programs and strategies to address legal, and operational challenges specific to working with sanctioned groups and in the absence of peace agreements as a legal basis for national reintegration programming. 

  • 2A
    Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    During the reporting period, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) strengthened its adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL) during preparedness and response to crises induced by armed conflicts. IOM developed internal and external operational guidelines for the safe evacuations of migrant children who might be caught in the hostilities (these guidelines were developed in the framework of the Migrants in Countries in Crisis Initiative). In addition, IOM strengthened its technical guidance to staff confronted with delivering assistance to migrants and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who might be arbitrarily detained during armed conflict.

    In both Libya and Yemen, IOM is supporting the framing of a humane and safe response driven by the humanitarian imperative of saving lives. Country specific guidance and technical support has been developed and rolled out during the reporting period.

    More generally IOM is also training all new protection officers ensuring they are aware and adhere to international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles within a foundational training session developed and piloted in the course of 2017.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    IOM protection officers are consistently referring to available guidance and seek support when in doubt. IOM response to crises regularly include a protection component and increasing requests for staff deployment and new recruitment are coming through.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Remote management in some of the locations where IOM operates is an obstacle to monitoring adherence to IHL. IOM is investing in strengthening partners' capacities and accountability. 

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    The following results are planned for 2018:

    • core foundation training for protection officers converted into mandatory online version for all newly recruited protection officers.
    • specific guidance for delivering humanitarian assistance to migrants and IDPs arbitrarily detained during armed conflict.
    • mapping of IOM's practice of engagement with non-state armed groups and development of internal technical guidance. 

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Systemic investment in preventive diplomacy and adherence to IHL by all parties.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian principles, IHL compliance and accountability, Migrants, Protection

  • 2B
    Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM commits to use its Principles for Humanitarian Action to support the efforts of States to fulfil their responsibilities to protect and assist crisis-affected persons. In line with the Charter of the United Nations and in the spirit of the humanitarian imperative to save the lives and alleviate human suffering, IOM is committed to providing humanitarian assistance and protection in accordance with international law and norms, wherever it is required.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to ensure all populations in need receive rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Commit to promote and enhance efforts to respect and protect medical personnel, transports and facilities, as well as humanitarian relief personnel and assets against attacks, threats or other violent acts.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has developed capacity building tools to support staff and implementing partners in the delivery of principled humanitarian action, and has invested in the commitment to accountability to affected populations.

    IOM's crisis response continued to be guided by its comprehensive approach to migration crisis that bridges humanitarian with development responses while respecting the primacy of humanitarian principles.

    IOM continued to develop effective humanitarian partnerships at international, national, and local levels, and continued to promote full access to and protection of humanitarian and medical missions through various Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) structures.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Principled Humanitarian Action is assessed under IOM's Migration Governance Framework Principle 1: Adherence to International Standards and Fulfillment of Migrants Rights (incl. uptake/feedback on learning tools; capacity building of partners; inter-agency engagement etc).

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Widespread violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and insecurity significantly constrain operations and hinder the ability of people in need to access aid. Donor preferences make it difficult at times to secure principled funding, including funding for neglected crises.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    In 2018, IOM will continue to build capacity among its staff and implementing partners in professionally relevant thematic areas. IOM will continue to build effective humanitarian partnerships including with local actors to better reach people in need and deliver context specific and effective humanitarian action.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Reaching people in need (full, rapid, unimpeded and sustained access) and promoting respect for IHL and humanitarian principles in the delivery of humanitarian action in armed conflict.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    Steps taken towards better humanitarian financing (more flexibility) and strengthened localization. 

    Keywords

    Humanitarian principles, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 2C
    Speak out on violations

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to speak out and systematically condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of international human rights law and to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators when these acts amount to crimes under international law.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) continuously cooperates with various stakeholders of governments, the private sector and civil society organizations to raise awareness and to support them to develop standards and practices respectful of migrants’ rights. As a result of IOM’s support, several migration laws around the world have been revised to align with international standards. 

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Other: IOM applies a gradual approach starting from a mapping of the human rights reporting mechanisms.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    IOM aims at creating an analysis of the challenges and opportunities for IOM's current and past involvement in reporting mechanisms and lastly the formulation of internal guidance to IOM staff for a consistent and coherent approach to the issue.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Strengthening national/local systems
    • Other: Coherent implementation in the field missions requires multiyear funding enabling longer term planning.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    As IOM is a decentralized agency having its presence vastly in the field, implementation of policies in the field requires special projects and it is often challenging to have dedicated multi-year funding to ensure the commitments are realized in the field. 

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    For 2018, IOM will continue working towards its global commitments on human rights and international humanitarian law. To that end, IOM plans to conduct a mapping of mechanisms to analyze and consolidate IOM’s access to human rights monitoring mechanisms.

    Keywords

    Migrants

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM will work towards fully implementing the PSEA Minimum Operating Standards, including by developing operational tools and clear guidance for the field on agency commitments and activities to protect against sexual exploitation and abuse.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • IOM commits to mitigate vulnerability and build resilience within its shelter programming by finalizing and operationalize its shelter assessment and monitoring toolkit in regards to GBV. The GBV Shelter Toolkit will include tools to perform rapid gender analysis, practical guidelines in terms of gender action planning as well as guidance on how to extend referral pathways to GBV and protection actors within the shelter context.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • IOM will take measures to ensure that its staff members provide humanitarian assistance and services in a manner that respects and fosters the rights of beneficiaries, prevents SEA against beneficiaries (abusive and exploitative sexual activities with beneficiaries are absolutely prohibited), and creates and maintains an environment that prevents SEA.
    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Working toward strengthening investigation and protection responses to SEA allegations, IOM, along with OHCHR, will take a lead role in strengthening collective responses in this area, including by promoting the development and sharing of best practices on enforcing Code of Conduct breaches and on referring SEA cases that may arise to criminal misconduct to competent authorities; supporting efforts to operationalize the recommendations for preventing the re-recruitment of individuals disciplined for SEA, and to enforce PSEA contractual clauses with implementing partners; and contributing to efforts to ensure that the interagency response to SEA includes adequate protection and redress, including adequate assistance for survivors.
    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Commit to speak out and systematically condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of international human rights law and to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators when these acts amount to crimes under international law.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Implement a coordinated global approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in crisis contexts, including through the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted contextualized trainings to roll out the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse ( PSEA) Toolkit and build capacity of in-country teams to create system-wide SEA initiatives in seven countries, each resulting in a joint action plan to guide network activities for the following year.

    IOM continued to respond to technical assistance requests, including deploying the project coordinator to establish a PSEA initiative under the emergency response in Bangladesh. 

    The Ethics e-learning training (with PSEA module) is mandatory for all IOM staff, currently taken by ~11,000. PSEA training is compulsory for all, and are organized by missions, included in inductions, and Ethics & Conduct Office/Gender Coordination Unit reached ~1,400 colleagues in face-to-face trainings.

    IOM launched the MigApp which allows direct reporting of misconduct by any user worldwide. IOM has both internal and external misconduct reporting links on its intranet and internet which are sent directly to Ethics & Conduct Office.

    Gender-based violence prevention and response

    IOM further developed guidance on gender-based violence (GBV) mainstreaming in shelter and site planning responses. As a co-lead of the GBV sub-working group of the Global Shelter Cluster (GSC), IOM revised the Shelter and GBV Toolkit and developed guidance on Shelter/NFIs distributions, including on the integration of Sex and age disaggregated data (SADD) and gender analysis in the planning, implementation and monitoring of emergency responses. IOM issued the second edition of the Site planning and GBV Booklet and produced a thematic video.  All tools, including the GBV Constant Companion, have been tested and used in operational activities. Dedicated workshops were organized in Nigeria (site planning), the Philippines (shelter preparedness), and Thailand (shelter and NFIs-regional). A research paper, “Unpacking Density in Camps – Observations from the Site Planning GBV Project in Maiduguri, Nigeria”was also developed. Tools are now available to GSC partners.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    • IOM has developed a framework on Accountability to Affected Population (AAP), identifying guiding principles to integrate accountability into IOM systems, processes and activities, and actions required to implement AAP commitments, helping IOM to systematically measure its accountability.
    • Implementation of sectoral action plans.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Buy-in
    • Funding amounts
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Despite efforts, IOM still has low numbers of SEA reports, which makes accountability difficult. For PSEA networks, there remains a de-prioritization of “prevention activities” including PSEA during lifesaving operations, hindering accountability.

    • Guidance, significant resources (human, financial) remain needed to ensure effective integration of GBV consideration into activities, including to support capacity building initiatives.

     

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Continue rollout of the IASC toolkit, bringing together Network Coordinators and co-chairs from similar responses via a Community Based Complaint Mechanism ToT so that networks under similar contexts are capacitated to harmonize PSEA measures in their respective regions.
    • Remain the IASC-UNWG on SEA formal liaison, and an active member of the IASC AAP/PSEA Task Team.
    • Implement a new PSEA internal communication campaign – with visuals and innovative tools.
    • Continue supporting GBV mainstreaming in sectoral strategies and operational responses.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Experience from the inter-agency PSEA projects confirmed that an inter-agency approach is necessary to provide a coherent and effective response to SEA and that a collaborative approach needs increased guidance at the field level. Technical guidance is critical to ensure that the international commitment of standardizing prevention and response systems in all humanitarian operations is realized, and a true system of collective accountability is in place.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    • As the formal liaison between the UN WG on SEA and the IASC, IOM brings updates to the TT on the UNWG for discussion, and raises concrete issues from in-country Networks that arise from the Community Based Complaints Mechanism trainings for improved accountability.
    • Involving local authorities and other sectors in workshops.

    Keywords

    Gender, IHL compliance and accountability, PSEA

  • 2E
    Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) applies a rights-based approach to all its policies, strategies, projects and activities. Ensuring that rights of the migrants and other affected communities is respected is a crucial part of IOM’s rights based approach. IOM is strengthening its internal adherence to humanitarian principles and include specific provision safeguarding humanity in all internal guidelines developed in 2017 and aiming at strengthening IOM's protection work.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    More consistent reporting by the field of key challenges encountered in the conduct of protection activities. Inclusion of benchmarks in internal reports on protection.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • IHL and IHRL compliance and accountability
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    With certain actors like non-state armed groups, humanitarian actors are in need of clear guidance on how to get engaged while remaining committed to their international law commitments. 

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    IOM's gradual approach will ensure that IOM better assess its challenges and opportunities in using the reporting mechanisms and it aims at creating a coherent and consistent internal approach in reporting human rights violations and broadly violations of international law. 

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Protection shall be at the center of all humanitarian action, meaning that all our activities as humanitarian actors should be in line with international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law applying a rights based approach.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian principles

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM commits to assisting communities forcibly displaced by conflicts to participate in conflict analysis and needs assessment, and support national governments to address root causes of conflict and forced displacement.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • IOM commits to continue its work in response to natural disasters, to strengthen local response capacities, to manage risk and displacement, and endeavors to improve the approaches, frameworks and policies that guide and govern them. IOM will achieve these objectives by working in a coordinated manner with key global stakeholders to build and foster synergies on key cornerstones such as its Displacement Tracking Matrix, and create common platforms in order to understand, anticipate and trigger early action with regard to disaster-related displacement.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • IOM commits to continue its work to reduce vulnerabilities and foster the resilience of displaced populations, other migrants and affected communities by strengthening coping capacities and promoting self-reliance. This approach will be operationalized through a new IOM framework outlining efforts to progressively resolve displacement situations (PRDS).
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    • IOM, within its capacity as a CCCM cluster lead agency, commits to reduce the vulnerability and foster the resilience of individuals suffering from displacement by achieving gender parity within camp governance structure.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (5)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new approach to addressing forced displacement that not only meets immediate humanitarian needs but reduces vulnerability and improves the resilience, self-reliance and protection of refugees and IDPs. Commit to implementing this new approach through coherent international, regional and national efforts that recognize both the humanitarian and development challenges of displacement. Commit to take the necessary political, policy, legal and financial steps required to address these challenges for the specific context.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to promote and support safe, dignified and durable solutions for internally displaced persons and refugees. Commit to do so in a coherent and measurable manner through international, regional and national programs and by taking the necessary policy, legal and financial steps required for the specific contexts and in order to work towards a target of 50 percent reduction in internal displacement by 2030.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Acknowledge the global public good provided by countries and communities which are hosting large numbers of refugees. Commit to providing communities with large numbers of displaced population or receiving large numbers of returnees with the necessary political, policy and financial, support to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact. To this end, commit to strengthen multilateral financing instruments. Commit to foster host communities' self-reliance and resilience, as part of the comprehensive and integrated approach outlined in core commitment 1.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to collectively work towards a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees to safeguard the rights of refugees, while also effectively and predictably supporting States affected by such movements.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to actively work to uphold the institution of asylum and the principle of non-refoulement. Commit to support further accession to and strengthened implementation of national, regional and international laws and policy frameworks that ensure and improve the protection of refugees and IDPs, such as the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol or the AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala convention) or the Guiding Principles on internal displacement.
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    IDPs (due to conflict, violence, and disaster)

    • Rolled out the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in 15 new countries during 2017 to collect, analyse and disseminate data on displacement and population mobility. 
    • Supported ongoing responses while building an evidence base to address root causes of forced displacement.
    • Conducted surveys on migration drivers and root causes.
    • Launched a new website for internal displacement data at https://displacement.iom.int/ to increase accessibility of DTM data.
    • Recruited a DTM officer for the Centre for Humanitarian Data in the Hague to enhance data interoperability and access. 
    • Partnered with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), Flowminder and OCHA-HDX to facilitate more streamlined access to and analysis of internal displacement data through an integrated online platform.
    • Participated in Grand Bargain Needs Assessment Work Stream, co-led outcome on use of data and contributed to Joint Inter-Sectoral Analysis Group (ongoing). 

     

    Cross-border, disaster and climate related displacement

    The Women's Participation Toolkit developed by IOM and the Women Refugee Commission in coordination with the Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster was used in 5 countries (Nigeria, the Philippines, Ecuador, South Sudan and Iraq) to identify opportunities to strengthen the participation of displaced women and develop projects supporting improved participation of women in governance structures, their economic empowerment, and their strategies to feel better protected from gender-based violence (GBV) risks in camps.

    Country-level baseline, end-line reports and learning reports were discussed among partners and published to share good practices, identify gaps, and improve CCCM's approach to women's participation. IOM also partnered with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to test the toolkit in in Iraq, to ensure that it could be used by other CCCM agencies and be integrated into capacity building tool offered by the CCCM cluster in 2018.

    Other-3A

    Guided by its Progressive Resolution of Displacement Situations (PRDS) Framework, IOM seeks to capitalise on capacities and reduce vulnerabilities among displaced populations. This includes, for example, engaging with impacted populations, linking existing skills and interests with market opportunities and providing relevant business support. With the PRDS Framework, IOM promotes resilience-orientated response and recovery, enabling impacted populations to better resist and recover from shocks and stressors, as a preventative action to reduce risks of further displacement. In 2017, IOM programming contributed to the progressive resolution of displacement situations in over 26 countries, working with partners to build an evidence base through intention surveys and community assessments, and comprehensively address protection; livelihoods; housing, land and property; access to services and local governance.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    • By disseminating user feedback surveys to gauge the usefulness of DTM products at country level. 
    • By adapting DTM tools based on feedback where necessary. 
    • The toolkit is designed identify strategies to empower women and support more meaningful participation in camps, including in the decision making processes and camp governance structures.

     

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Limited capacity for analysis hampers optimal use of data to inform operational responses that seek to reduce and address displacement. 
    • Early and sustained efforts to resolve displacement require strong national leadership, multi-stakeholder engagements across humanitarian and development actors and flexible funding support, all of which vary in different contexts.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Analyze data on root causes and drivers of migration collected in the 2017 surveys.
    • Continue to harmonize and integrate DTM data with the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) portal, with the target of making data available on the platform for at least 50% of countries with active operations by end of 2018.
    • Continue exploring how to strengthen both formal and informal governance mechanisms.
    • Continue to promote the PRDS Framework as an inclusive, resilience-orientated approach to DS.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Commitment from partners to improve accessibility and comparability of data on displacement.
    • Develop activities for women and girls that contribute to empowerment, beyond formal governance structures.
    • While durable solutions has traditionally been situated in the humanitarian sphere, it is necessary to establish appropriate platforms at local, national, regional and global levels to engage a broader spectrum of actors. This may require advocacy with a range of different stakeholders as the relevance of their engagement in progressing towards resolving displacement.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    • IOM’s new website (https://displacement.iom.int/) makes available data related to 15 million displaced persons in 49 countries in 2017 alone, contributing to improved data accessibility to inform responses.
    • Strengthening of informal mechanisms have contributed to strengthen public perceptions of women as influencers and leaders, and building collective power.
    • Taking a holistic approach to DS.

    Keywords

    Displacement

  • 3B
    Address the vulnerabilities of migrants and provide more regular and lawful opportunities for migration

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM commits to strengthening understanding of migration and related resource transfers, including remittances, as a potential tool to support disaster preparedness and recovery, and to work with relevant actors to further disseminate and operationalize this understanding.
    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind
    • IOM commits to work to improve migrants inclusion in disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts, by supporting the capacities and coordination of disaster risk management authorities, foreign services, migrant groups themselves and other relevant actors.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been carrying out awareness raising and capacity building work to strengthen the ability of relevant actors to meet the specific needs of migrants in the event of a disaster, a conflict or other emergency. This work has focused mainly on: 1) foreign services and other key governmental and non-governmental actors of migrants' countries of origin; and 2) emergency management authorities and and other key governmental and non-governmental actors of migrants' host countries. IOM has also held a series of trainings for IOM staff members to improve internal capacity to work on this issue.

    IOM produced a thematic Handbook on “Remittances in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries” that outlines 6 key challenges and 9 concrete recommendations, supported by robust communications materials such as knowledge pieces, videos, social media content, etc., which can be utilized as a tool by stakeholders in a disaster preparedness context to work with local communities on enhancing resilience through remittances. 

    The newly launched MigApp contains a section on remittances which provides a real time comparison of remittance costs along specific corridors.

    IOM has also created the iDIASPORA online platform to serve as a hub for resources for all the stakeholders involved in this area, including diaspora communities. This platform is currently being developed and will serve as a place for discussion and interaction amongst various diaspora communities.

     

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    • In addition to its usual assessment of participants' perceptions of workshops and knowledge acquired through training events, IOM has commissioned an independent evaluation to assess long-term outcomes of relevant programming in selected countries.
    • World Bank Remittances Prices Worldwide database.
    • The Global Compact for Migration negotiations.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Other: A highly regulated global architecture for remittances and money transfer that creates high transfer cost.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Creating an evidence base for migrants' specific vulnerability.
    • Setting up effective, long-term engagement and capacity building processes with relevant governmental partners.
    • Mainstreaming the issue in broader operations.
    • The multiplicity of actors and national regulatory constraints, negatively impact the extent to which IOM can make an impact in reducing remittance transfer costs.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Existing tools and trainings will be revised and complemented through the development and adaptation of new products, with an eye to rolling out relevant activities in additional countries and operational contexts and with different stakeholder groups.
    • iDiaspora platform to be further developed, and to encourage stakeholders to take ownership of the platform.
    • IOM will continue to be a global lead in advocating for a reduction in remittance costs through the Global Compact negotiations.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Improved preparedness of home country institutions and relevant stakeholder for crises potentially affecting migrants, among other populations.
    • Improved capacity of emergency management in host countries to cater for needs and conditions of migrants (and culturally diverse groups) in preparedness, response and recovery.
    • To reduce remittance costs, the monopolies of large money transfer operators need to be broken and innovative money transfer methods need to be analyzed.
    • More support for multi-stakeholder initiatives such as DEMAC.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    • Coordination between emergency and migration authorities, and migrant assistance actors, to better assist migrants in emergencies.
    • Strengthened coordination among like-minded countries for more effective response to crises affecting nationals abroad. 
    • ACP Handbook on Remittances in ACP Countries: Key Challenges and Ways Forward.
    • iDIASPORA online platform.

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction, Migrants

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM commits to increase its gender and protection mainstreaming by extending the capacity of its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) system to be able to identify and monitor vulnerability indicators in relation to GBV.
    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Empower Women and Girls as change agents and leaders, including by increasing support for local women's groups to participate meaningfully in humanitarian action.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the Outcome documents of their review conferences for all women and adolescent girls in crisis settings.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Ensure that humanitarian programming is gender responsive.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    In 2017 the International Organization for Migration (IOM) pursued the integration of protection and Gender Based Violence (GBV) indicators into Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) operations. A global survey was conducted from July to October 2017 to take stock of DTM activities worldwide. Out of 50 country offices surveyed, 36 countries reported integrating protection and GBV risks considerations into DTM implementation. The DTM Global Team also strengthened the collaboration with key protection actors to improve the quality of data and analysis, and enable a better operationalization of information. A global project promoting improved operational responses to GBV in camp management and site planning has contributed to integration of GBV risk-sensitive indicators into the DTM.  

    Building on efforts initiated in 2016, a series of global and field workshops were organized in 2017 with GBV agencies and the GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR) to further enhance analysis and reporting of GBV risks indicators. A joint project was developed at the global level with the UNICEF-led Child Protection AoR and Education Cluster to enhance the DTM to be more child and adolescent-sensitive. As a result, DTM indicators, joint SOPs, tools and training curriculums are being developed, with field visits to Libya and Iraq during 2017, opening opportunities to further strengthen collaboration at the operational level.

    In 2017, IOM also improved its effort to understand trafficking trends, including risks affecting women and girls. Consequently, counter trafficking in crisis responses were deployed in large-scale emergencies such as the Rohingya refugee crisis, including by incorporating trafficking-sensitive indicators into the DTM.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Incorporating GBV and protection–sensitive indicators in the Displacement Tracking Matrix contributes to a broader understanding of factors impacting the protection environment of displaced women and girls, and can inform better operational responses.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Information management/tools
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Joint analysis and operationalization of data remains limited to contexts where both Information Management (IM) and GBV actors have IM capacities.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • In 2018, IOM plans to continue integrating GBV and protection-sensitive indicators into the DTM, with the objective of reaching 70% of active DTM operations by the end of the year.
    • Through continued partnership with UNICEF, various resources will be finalized during 2018, including urgent action guidelines, sectoral analysis frameworks, guidelines for sensitive data-sharing, and training modules on child protection for DTM enumerators.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    IOM will continue strengthening its collaboration with the GBV AoR, the Child Protection AoR and the Education Cluster on protection. IOM is planning to dedicate specific resources to strengthen the IM capacities of the GBV AoR, contributing to addressing existing gaps. IOM plans to further expand its partnerships with other clusters on similar initiatives during 2018.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    Intra- and inter-agency partnerships pairing thematic specialists with technical experts has proved effective in bridging gaps between data collection and use through improved indicator development, data analysis and information sharing.

    Keywords

    Displacement, Gender

  • 4A
    Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM commits to developing a set of policy and guidance frameworks governing the use of its cash based approach, from both a programmatic and technical standpoint.
    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • IOM commits to engage in appropriate forms of advocacy and clear messaging on principles and effective humanitarian assistance at the global, regional, national and local levels with all relevant actors. IOM is accountable to the persons and the States concerned, and its partners within the humanitarian response system. IOM is committed to strengthening its accountability mechanisms and to keeping them under continuous review.

    • Advocacy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • IOM commits to further support national and local governments design and implement planned relocation and evacuation processes for people living in at-risk and disaster affected areas, as well as for people displaced by disasters, that result in reduced exposure to future hazards and do not affect people's well-being and resilience.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (6)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase investment in building community resilience as a critical first line of response, with the full and effective participation of women.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to ensure regional and global humanitarian assistance for natural disasters complements national and local efforts.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Consultation and development of national/local contingency plans for mass evacuation and/or displacement in natural disaster context by disaster management agency.  

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Preparedness
    • Other: Lack of consistency: government policies, perception and financial regulation.
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Humanitarian preparedness often comes in between different funding windows and as such do not always have dedicated resourcing to fully support the national/local authorities. 
    • Analyzing data coming from an internal annual questionnaire on programming.
    • Engaging and supporting with those who are using cash programming in the field.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Review and consolidation of MEND application and implementation in different contexts, finalize the guidance; harmonized regional and country levels adopted material, as well as training package; Increase capacity/expertise at HQ and RO to support missions on preparedness activities, contingency planning. 
    • Producing an edition of Shelter Projects on Cash projects, in coordination with the Global Sheller Cluster Cash Working Group (co-lead by IOM).

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Better awareness and common understanding of available tools and processes to support countries/missions.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    • Coordinating with programme and resource management staff to assist in clarifying the process for cash programming institutionally.
       

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • IOM commits to continue its work in response to natural disasters, to strengthen local response capacities, to manage risk and displacement, and endeavors to improve the approaches, frameworks and policies that guide and govern them. IOM will achieve these objectives by working in a coordinated manner with key global stakeholders to build and foster synergies on key cornerstones such as its Displacement Tracking Matrix, and create common platforms in order to understand, anticipate and trigger early action with regard to disaster-related displacement.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • IOM commits to reinforce its long term perspective to climate change by introducing environmental markers and streamlining environment considerations in its programming.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to improve the understanding, anticipation and preparedness for disaster and climate-related risks by investing in data, analysis and early warning, and developing evidence-based decision-making processes that result in early action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    With an extensive network of enumerators and key informants in the field, and a wealth of historical data from past responses, the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) aims to be forward-thinking and quick to adapt, anticipating changes and modifying data collection areas and focus to align with evolving information needs during a crisis. During 2017, IOM advanced its work by: 

    • developing and piloting a "random walk" model to forecast the geographic distribution of conflict-related displacement in Nigeria, using historical DTM data to inform predictions;
    • partnering with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), Flowminder and OCHA- HDX to collaborate on predictive analysis and displacement risk modeling;
    • formalizing a cooperation agreement with Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) to explore areas for collaboration, including mapping of evacuation center locations to support preparedness efforts;
    • pursuing partnerships with academic institutions to supplement analysis capacities and maximize use of available data for learning and development;
    • training staff from 5 regions to build capacities for set-up and maintenance of DTM operations, processing and analysis of data, and dissemination of products for use by partners and stakeholders.

    Through its Migration, Environment & Climate Change (MECC) work:

    • made an institutional commitment to improve the sustainability of its operations at the strategic, programmatic and operational levels, focusing on three key areas: greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste management;
    • joined the UN Environment Management Group (EMG);
    • piloted the first greenhouse gas inventory in line with international standards (ISO 14001) at three locations;
    • started MECC concerns in traditional areas of IOM's work, including return and reintegration;
    • conducted 4 national and 1 regional capacity building workshops benefiting close to 120 policymakers to sensitize them to MECC concerns and support with policy development.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    • Piloting of models to test effectiveness and reliability, and continued development and adaptation to enhance accuracy. 
    • Internal reviews on whether available data and analysis is influencing the design and implementation of operations.
    • Monitoring change in governmental policies, programmes and priorities.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Buy-in
    • Data and analysis
    • Funding amounts
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Though robust methods for analysis and modeling exist, effective application to enhance humanitarian response is limited by gaps in comparable data for the same locations over time, and uptake of findings by response actors to develop data-driven programmes. 

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Continue partnerships to advance analysis and modeling, including by integrating mobile phone data to complement traditional humanitarian data sources.
    • Apply predictive models to anticipate return movements, enabling programme adaptation to proactively support transition and recovery post-crisis.
    • Develop academic partnerships and crowd-sourcing capacities for analysis.
    • Build capacities of staff, partners and government counterparts. 
    • Development of an internal environmental policy to be presented at the IOM Council 2018 for Member States' approval.
    • National and regional capacity building workshops for policymakers.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Commitment from data producers to collect comparable, time-series data that can feed into advanced analysis and modeling.
    • Openness of operational actors to adopt and pilot recommendations for enhanced preparedness and proactive response.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    • IOM pursues continued learning and development through innovative work that leverages DTM data and partnerships for displacement risk modeling, predictive analytics, crowd-sourcing and use of mobile phone data to anticipate displacement and return movements. 
    • Highlighting the issue of sustainability in migration management at the policy level.

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction

  • 4C
    Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility
    • IOM commits to provide assistance on the basis of assessments of needs (through Displacement Tracking Matrix and other population needs assessments) that take into account the diversity of vulnerabilities and threats faced by the persons affected and it engages and negotiates with all relevant actors to ensure effective provision of humanitarian assistance and secure access to crisis-affected persons in line with a do-no-harm approach.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • IOM commits to supporting transition and recovery needs that support livelihoods, restoration of services and community engagement to improve participation, social cohesion and peace building through its stabilization programming and working across peace, development and security frameworks.
    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis and planning towards collective outcomes

    • To strengthen links between humanitarian and longer-term programming, an initiative to foster closer collaboration between the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) and its Transition and Recovery portfolio, with the aim of contributing towards the evidence base for transition and recovery operations. 
    • The initiative investigated the viability of employing the DTM to guide transition and recovery programming.
    • Three locations were selected to pilot the initiative.
    • An online repository was created to host resources pertaining to previous and ongoing efforts of using the DTM to inform transition and recovery operations. 
    • Development of a digital library of transition and recovery indicators to support relevant data collection.

    Other-4C

    IOM's commitment to transition from delivering aid to ending needs is reflected in the organization's 2012 Migration Crisis Operational Framework (MCOF). Drawing on MCOF for strategic planning fosters preparedness and prevention, and ensures that the immediate humanitarian and protection needs of beneficiaries are met, while addressing the root causes of crises, building resilience and promoting long-term solutions. In 2017, 36 Country Offices reported that they have developed or updated a crisis response strategy using the MCOF. 

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Through internal feedback received from IOM country offices.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Information management/tools
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • As DTM was initially designed for humanitarian response, not all data produced is relevant for transition and recovery operations. The ability to produce development-principled assessments and consequent analyses are limited by availability of relevant data.
    • Assessments, analysis, planning, funding and response often continue to take place in humanitarian or development vacuums.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • Publish a report with initial findings on the extent to which DTM can be used to strengthen the evidence base for transition and recovery programming.
    • Publish technical reports containing analyses to inform stabilization and recovery operations in pilot countries.
    • Strengthen IOM's HR capacity in order to support articulate and adopt a global approach to Health and Development Networks (HDN) and the New Way of Working (NWOW) and provide targeted support to IOM missions to operationalize this concept in their programming as well as in joint coordination fora.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Greater capacity is required to utilize existing humanitarian platforms for guiding development-oriented programmes, particularly in terms of the production of analysis.
    • Greater commitment from both humanitarian and development partners is needed to overcoming divisions that might hinder collaboration.
    • The inclusivity of actors engaged in humanitarian coordination is not reflected in development coordination, requiring the establishment of representative platforms for engagement across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding actors.

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    • Alongside humanitarian protection and assistance, IOM has over 20 years experience implementing transition and recovery programming that addresses the root causes and drivers of forced migration in order to prevent and resolve crises and displacement. 

    • An online repository of best practices was created for IOM Country offices to draw on.

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    IOM's institutional level monitoring and reporting mechanisms capture information to support the assessment of progress towards the respective commitments of the Agenda for Humanity.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Majority of stakeholders do not have mechanisms in place to systematically track donations and contributions that support the building of local and national capacities - lack of evidence and analysis is considered a key challenge in designing interventions. 

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    IOM will enhance its available tools and systems to provide more oversight and detailed financial information on IOM’s transfers to local and national responders. Data collected will act as the basis for in-depth review of its engagement with local and national responders. The aim of this review is to source a coherent understanding of the relationship between IOM and local and national responders and to enhance existing policy.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Collective efforts are needed to ensure that global discussions are adequately open to the wider variety of local and national actors. Similarly, stakeholders need to source a system wide analysis and develop a coherent strategy as to initiatives in support of local and national responders. 

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    Good practices, IOM have sought to associate administrative and programmatic considerations in devising an institutional approach to better understand and inform the relationship between IOM and local and national responders.

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to invest in risk management, preparedness and crisis prevention capacity to build the resilience of vulnerable and affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    • Carried out disaster risk reduction activities in 17 countries worldwide, for example Haiti, Afghanistan, Myanmar, The Philippines, The Federated States of Micronesia and Papua New Guinea. Within these 17 countries, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) implemented a total of 32 projects in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). One such project involved communities in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, who engaged in participatory hazard, vulnerability and capacity mapping exercises. By utilizing community-based disaster risk management, these communities were able to formulate community investment strategies, targeting for example the development and design of early warning systems, disaster risk awareness raising and education. IOM’s efforts in the Republic of the Marshall Islands helped to implement capacity-development and resilience-building activities at the national, provincial and community levels. In support of the Rohingya refugee crisis response in Bangladesh, IOM also deployed Disaster Risk Reduction surge support and established programming to mitigate disaster and climate risk and build resilience in the context of the ongoing cyclone and monsoon season.
    • Developed the Emergency Preparedness Monitoring Report - this report enables IOM to monitor Country Offices with the highest risk of new or escalating migration crises. The information in this report, not only helps IOM monitor and respond to early warning alerts as necessary, the information also enables IOM to share vital preparedness information with other agencies, particularly during the development of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Early Warning, Early Action and Readiness Analysis. 
    • Provided support to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, to the Moroccan and Fijian presidencies of the 22nd and 23rd Conferences of Paries (COP22 and COP23), and to Member States.

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • By reporting to, or using reports prepared for, UN principal organs, UN governing boards, or other international bodies
    • Through multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives (e.g. IASC, Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, etc).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    • IOM’s Strategic Work Plan on DRR incorporates the indicators of UN Plan of Action on DRR. The work plan provides IOM with a baseline against which the Organization’s work on DRR can be monitored 
    • By monitoring change in governmental policies, programmes and priorities.

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Funding amounts
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    • Information Management, funding and coordination challenges (related to its cross-cutting nature nature of the issue) directly affect the ability of governments and key stakeholder to move from policy commitments to concrete action and implementation.

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    • IOM will continue to implement its Emergency Preparedness Monitoring and will actively reach out to donors to explore opportunities for collaboration. 
    • IOM will organize a stakeholder meeting for the UNFCCC Task force on Displacement, in partnership with the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD).
    • IOM will continue its support to the UNFCCC process, including through participation at COP24.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Increased funding towards preparedness initiatives. 

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    IOM capacity building programme for policymakers on Migration, Environment and Climate Change and its training manual, which promotes and helps governments advance towards policy coherence.

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction, People-centred approach

  • 5E
    Diversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. Highlight the concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2017 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) have initiated institutional effort to introduce a single policy framework across its field operations, defining IOM’s institutional approach to AAP (Accountability to Affected Population) and the mechanism it employs to adhere to such objectives in conducting its activities. To this end, IOM have embarked on a consultation process towards understanding the operational realities of AAP at the various levels of the organization – mapping the awareness and practices, as well as identifying gaps and challenges to the institutionalization of key accountability principles and commitments. 

    2. A. How are you measuring progress toward achieving your commitments? Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Through existing, internal systems or frameworks for monitoring, reporting and/or evaluation.
    • Other: In addition to project monitoring systems IOM is conducting an annual institutional questionnaire on Cash Based Interventions (CBI).
    B. How are you assessing whether progress on commitments is leading toward change in the direction of the transformation?

    Over 300 IOM staff and 225 members of affected populations took part in these consultations. 

    3. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Human resources/capacity
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Understanding the AAP Framework and operating Programmes in the field require different skills sets and field staff do not always have both capabilities. 

    4. Highlight actions planned for 2018 to advance implementation of your commitments in order to achieve this transformation.

    The IOM AAP Framework will be piloted in a set number of operational contexts, with intent to refine guidance and ensure its applicability in terms of IOM programming and contexts of operation. To support the operationalization of the framework IOM aims to develop bespoke guidance and tools. These will enable IOM programmes to more effectively operationalize the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Commitments on AAP. Regarding CBI, will develop global strategy and implementation plan.

    5. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    • Draft guidance and tools for IOM AAP Framework
    • Elect pilot missions to introduce the guidance and tools.  
    • Review their proposals and operations.
    • Receive their feedback to improve the guidance and tools. 

    6. List any good practice or examples of innovation undertaken individually or in cooperation with others to advance this transformation.

    A guidance note on establishing feedback mechanisms for Shelter Programming and template Cash Based Interventions SOPs with guidance, has been developed to guide Country Offices implementing Shelter and NFI programmes. This guidance is available in the IOM Emergency Manual.

    Keywords

    Cash, Quality and accountability standards

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