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Makungu Baloyi

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SAMM LABOUR MIGRTION MEDIA COMPETITION: ENTER NOW!!

The ILO and IOM under the banner of the SAMM Project is launching a Media Competition on Labour Migration in the Southern African region, funded by the European Union. The aim is to recognize exemplary journalists and media practitioners who have been, or are, contributing to the media landscape by covering any of the ten SAMM labour migration thematic areas[1] in SADC Countries, while ensuring that hate speech, discrimination, racism and xenophobia are combated, and strengthening social cohesion and solidarity toward migrant workers and their families.

How to enter

Complete the online entry form   (https://bit.ly/3G9kcKv ) and submit your piece in the following formats: written press, photo essay, multimedia, podcast, video or radio. A submission in any language is welcome. However, an English, French or Portuguese translation must be included. Students are allowed to submit a published or unpublished media piece.

Key dates

15 April  2024 (23:59, SAST): Deadline for submissions, via the online entry form .

End June  2024: Competition winners will be announced.

Awards

Two Types of Awards and Four Prizes

Professional Awards: 3 Prizes

  • Professional Awards: Journalists and Media Professionals;
  • Three prizes will be awarded to Journalist/Media Professionals on a published media piece on the topic of labour migration:
  • A cash prize of $1,200 USD – The Winner
  • A cash prize of 1000 USD -Runner Up
  • A cash prize of 800 USD – Second runner up

Student Award : 1 Prize

  • Student Awards; students who are currently enrolled in a journalism school
  • One prize will be awarded to a published or unpublished media piece.
  • A cash prize of $500 USD will be assigned to the winner

 

 

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SAMM LABOUR MIGRATION MEDIA COMPETITION

The ILO and IOM under the banner of the SAMM Project is launching a Media Competition on Labour Migration in the Southern African region, funded by the European Union. The aim is to recognize exemplary journalists and media practitioners who have been, or are, contributing to the media landscape by covering any of the ten SAMM labour migration thematic areas[1] in SADC Countries, while ensuring that hate speech, discrimination, racism and xenophobia are combated, and strengthening social cohesion and solidarity toward migrant workers and their families.

How to enter

Complete the online entry form   (https://bit.ly/3G9kcKv ) and submit your piece in the following formats: written press, photo essay, multimedia, podcast, video or radio. A submission in any language is welcome. However, an English, French or Portuguese translation must be included. Students are allowed to submit a published or unpublished media piece.

Key dates

15 March 2024 (23:59, SAST): Deadline for submissions, via the online entry form .

End April 2024: Competition winners will be announced.

Awards

Two Types of Awards and Four Prizes

Professional Awards: 3 Prizes

Professional Awards: Journalists and Media Professionals;
Three prizes will be awarded to Journalist/Media Professionals on a published media piece on the topic of labour migration:
A cash prize of $1,200 USD – The Winner
A cash prize of 1000 USD -Runner Up
A cash prize of 800 USD – Second runner up

Student Award : 1 Prize

Student Awards; students who are currently enrolled in a journalism school
One prize will be awarded to a published or unpublished media piece.
A cash prize of $500 USD will be assigned to the winner

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: https://bit.ly/4a4avL9

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SADC Diaspora Skills Unleashed: IOM Facilities Discussions

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with support from the European Union-funded project “Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM)”, is holding a regional workshop on diaspora engagement and mapping toolkit in Windhoek, Namibia from May 30 to June 1, 2023. The workshop will enhance national technical and institutional mechanisms from the 15 SADC member States for effective diaspora engagement and mapping.

IOM’s Diaspora Mapping Toolkit offers practical guidance and tools for stakeholders involved in diaspora mapping and engagement for development. It promotes a bottom-up approach to building an effective and sustainable system, and provides specific methodological approaches and tools for Southern Africa.

“This workshop marks another milestone in our collective efforts to enhance diaspora engagement,” said Mr Ashraf El Nour, IOM Regional Director for Southern Africa, at the opening ceremony. “By sharing best practices, experiences, and expertise, we aim to build the capacity of SADC member states to effectively harness the potential of their diaspora communities”.

Despite the progress that has been made by the SADC Member States in the diaspora engagement, some gaps still exist in mapping their diaspora, leading to limited understanding of the spread, skills and profiles of the diaspora which focused on empowering the diaspora for regional development communities. This effort will use IOM’s diaspora mapping toolkit to help build institutional and technical capacity for effective mapping. The workshop complements the recommendations of the regional diaspora and investment forum held in Mauritius in 17–19 October 2022.

“Migration has been proved to be a fast path to reducing poverty not only for the diaspora but also for families left behind through remittances” said Ambassador Penda Naanda, Executive Director, Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation. “Therefore, the Governments of the SADC Member States need to facilitate the flow of remittances by reducing the cost of remitting money, he concludes”.

IOM, the United Nation Development Funds (UNDP), and the African Union Commission (AUC), have set up a diaspora framework program to use diaspora-related resources for national, regional, and continental development. Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Member States are increasingly interested in engaging with their diaspora communities to develop the region and make productive use of remittance income.

 

 

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3rd Political Steering Committee Meeting

The 3rd Project Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting for the project took place in Lusaka, Zambia on the 25th of May 2023. The PSC convenes annually to discuss the progress made in the implementation of project activities, highlights the challenges encountered by the UN implementing agencies and come up with mitigating strategies to ensure smooth collaboration between the RECs and other stakeholders.

 

COMESA served as the chair and host of the 3rd PSC. As one of the key partners (RECs) in the project, COMESA led the discussions of the PSC which serves as the governing body of the project to, one, provide strategic leadership, two, hold general policy discussions, and overall

 

guidance on how to move forward in ensuring the mandate of the SAMM project is achieved .

 

In the deliberations of the PSC, achievements and progress made in delivering the objectives of the project were highlighted by several part- ners and implementing agencies.

 

“As workers, we bear witness to the work the South African Migration Management Project has advanced.”

—M. KANDUKUTU

Southern African Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC)

▲ Political Steering Committee Members

The European union also applauded the UN agencies together with its partner RECs for the stellar work done in 2022, emphasising the need to accelerate efforts in delivering as one to improve migration management in the region.

Migration partnerships is an important pillar of the EU external action. The SAMM Project contributes to this objective by facilitating legal labour migration and by protecting the rights of migrant workers, refugees and victims of trafficking. As the EU, we are pleased to see it moving forward.”

—CLÉMENT BOUTILLIER,

Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Botswana and SADC

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Capacity Development Workshop on Addressing the Protection of Vulnerable Individuals in Mixed Migration Flows

Across the world, dangerous trends on mixed migration are observed. These include increasingly high numbers of migrants who go missing or die along mixed migration routes, ongoing commodification of refugees and migrants, and rising violent pushbacks and expulsions at borders. Despite these challenges, refugees and migrants are continuing their journeys and often taking great risks. It is therefore essential that policymakers develop better migration policies, based on solid evidence and analysis. With the right policy, legislation and practices in place, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries can achieve fair and effective migration governance fostering a positive impact of international migration in the economic growth and development of countries of origin, transit, and destination.

The workshop focused on the understanding and appreciation of the concepts of mixed Migration flows and equipping participants with the skills for the Identification, Protection and Referral of vulnerable individual in Mixed Migration Flows.

The aim was to increase the understanding of the concept of mixed and irregular migration and acquisition of skills and knowledge to identify vulnerable individuals in mixed migration flows, including but not limited to refugees and asylum seekers, rejected asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, presumed trafficked persons, person at risk of being trafficked, unaccompanied or separated children, stranded migrants, stateless migrants, and other vulnerable migrants, who require referral to appropriate services, in co-ordination with relevant governmental and non-governmental actors and development of a model framework to facilitate effective referrals of vulnerable migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers to other service providers for protection.

 

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Capacity Building Training Workshop on Migration Data Management

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) hosted Capacity Development Workshop on migration data management from 24th April
– 26th April 2023 in Seychelles. The purpose of this workshop was to contribute to enhancing the capacities of statistical and migration officials to improve migration data management systems in accordance with international and regional instruments within the broader context of the Objective 1 of the GCM and SDGs and the specific context of the Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM) project.

The EU-funded SAMM project recognizes the need to strengthen regional and national capacities for data collection, production of reliable migration statistics, and coordinated information-sharing mechanisms in order to improve the availability of and harmonization of migration data in the region.

The workshop contributed directly into the SAMM projects aim of strengthening the technical capacity of the National Statistical Officials and other relevant stakeholders. This was achieved by giving the participants the sufficient level of understanding and empowerment to begin and further capture, store and manage harmonized cross-border data on mixed migration flows in Seychelles.

As a direct consequence of the workshop the participating authorities engaged and agreed to support the development of a mechanism and
standardized procedures to collect and process migration-relevant data as well as the analysis and dissemination of such data.

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Enhancing the National Committee on Human Trafficking Secretariat

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Office for Southern Africa (UNODC ROSAF) in collabo- ration with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, and the INTERPOL Regional Bureau for Southern Africa convened a training on trafficking in persons (TIP), smuggling of migrants (SOM) and border management from 17 to 21 April 2023, in Lusaka, Zambia.

The lack of skills and capacity in the detection, identification, investigation, and referral of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants’ cases amongst law enforcement officers, especially front-line officers, remains a significant gap in the trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants response across the Southern Africa Development Community Region and Zambia is no exception. To close this gap, UNODC ROSAF, under the Southern African Migration Management Project (SAMM) framework, enhanced the capacity of law enforcement officers to address trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Zambia.

The objectives of the training workshop included understanding the international and national legislative provisions on human trafficking and smuggling of migrants; identifying TIP cases; effectively distinguishing TIP and SOM cases; referring victims of trafficking to appropriate institutions for assistance; and improving border management detection and border security.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Mr Auxensio Daka, Commissioner of Police for Administration, said the training on detecting, investigating and referral of TIP and SOM cases as well as border management skills, came at a crucial time as Zambia was experiencing an escalation in trans-national organized crime, especially trafficking in persons along border towns. “Zambia has been seeing an alarming upsurge of undocumented immigrants entering the country illegally, mostly in transit to other countries across the region, and some of these are smuggled migrants as well as victims of trafficking in persons”.

One of the key outcomes of the training work- shop was a discussion and agreement on the investigation techniques required to solve a suspected trafficking in persons’ case, currently under investigation by one of the law enforcement officers in attendance. Participants also took part in a practical exercise at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka as part of the border management segment of the training. Twenty-five participants attended — 14 female and 11 male.

At the end of the training, participants could describe and apply the elements of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants as set out in international and domestic legal frame- works to local trafficking in persons’ cases. The participants could also distinguish between trafficking in persons cases and smuggling of migrants and learned how to apply victim centered approaches when responding to these cases.

 

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Ending Trafficking: No One Left Behind

UNODC, in collaboration with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, handed over basic food items to shelters assisting victims of trafficking in persons on 12 April 2023. The handover forms part of the support provided to shelters in Gauteng and Mpumalanga within the Southern African Migration Project (SAMM) project framework. The donated items will benefit victims of trafficking in persons and shelter personnel.

Protection and assistance to places of shelter for victims of trafficking in persons across the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), including South Africa, remains hugely underfunded. The majority of shelters across SADC are run by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and receive limited public funds. Within this context, in-kind and financial support channeled towards places of shelter remains vital. This support bridges the resource gap evident across places of shelter.

Protection and assistance to places of shelter for victims of trafficking in persons across the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), including South Africa, remains hugely underfunded. The majority of shelters across SADC are run by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and receive limited public funds. Within this context, in-kind and financial support channeled towards places of shelter remains vital. This support bridges the resource gap evident across places of shelter.

Speaking during the official handover ceremony, Ms. Mary Mmushi, shelter representative, said trafficking in persons victims are often for- gotten and left behind in shelters with limited funding resources. “This donation will make a huge difference, and victims will not go to bed on an empty stomach”.

The food items will benefit over 250 victims of trafficking in persons across shelters in Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces. The handover of the basic food items was undertaken in line with the theme of the 2023 World Day against Trafficking in Persons campaign – “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind”.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of dis turbing developments and trends in trafficking in persons identified by UNODC. It further calls on governments, law enforcement, public ser- vices, and civil society to assess and enhance their efforts to strengthen prevention, identify and support victims, and end impunity.

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Strengthening the Judicial Response to Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants: JUDICIAL COLLOQUIUM

Johannesburg, 15-17 March 2023 – UNODC in collaboration with the South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) convened a Judicial Colloquium Against Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) in Johannesburg, South Africa from the 15 to 17 March, which is part of UNODC priorities in the SADC Region in enhancing the capacity of criminal justice practitioners in the response to human trafficking and smuggling of migrants using human and victim centred approaches under the joint UNODC-SADC Regional Programme (2013 -2023). The Regional Programme aims to support the SADC countries to respond to the evolving threats and challenges related to crime, drugs, and terrorism in all its manifestations.

The objectives of the training were to strengthen capacity of Judicial officers to effectively address trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants with a special emphasis on vulnerabilities of victims, migrants and the trauma they suffer; strengthen Judicial officers’ understanding of vulnerability and its role in presenting challenges to evidence and using tools that explain psychology and culture with special emphasis on child victims to resolve the evidential challenges and lastly to build the capacity of judicial officers on Sentencing principles on anti-trafficking in persons. The training workshop was in line with UNODC Strategic Vision for Africa 2030, which aims to provide innovative ways to support Member States and stakeholders over the next 10 years to strengthen crime prevention, enhance the effectiveness of criminal justice systems, counter organized crime, and corruption, promote balanced drug control and improve the rule of law. Furthermore, UNODC is committed to gender mainstreaming and exercises a proactive gender perspective in the process of assessing the implications of any planned action for both women and men, hence, the workshop was designed in line with UNODC Gender Strategy.

In the Southern African Development Community (SADC), one unique trend that stands out in the region is that convictions on human trafficking remain low. UNODC has over the years convened Regional Judicial Trainings on Combating Trafficking in Persons for Judges and Magistrates in order to strengthen the adjudication of trafficking in persons cases. The convening of judicial colloquiums on anti-trafficking in persons and anti-smuggling of migrants remains a key intervention in the response to human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in the region.

During the official opening of the workshop, Dr. Gomolemo Moshoeu. Chief Executive Officer, South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJE) said that “judicial education on emerging crimes like human trafficking is extremely important. Complex legislation which we continue to draft, and other legal issues in today’s world require continual education and training. In addition, increasing media scrutiny also require that our judicial decisions are appropriate, fair, and palatable to the general public to whom we account”. UNODC has over the years provided technical support to the Republic of South Africa on the domestication of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. This support has involved the strengthening the collection and analysis of human trafficking data, supporting the harmonization and operationalization of the Trafficking in Persons Act, building the capacity of criminal justice practitioners on combating trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants especially front-line law enforcement officers and just recently the development and finalization of the National Policy Framework on combating trafficking in persons.

The outcomes of the workshop include the following: the South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) will continue to collaborate with UNODC to convene Judicial colloquiums for Judges and Magistrates across South Africa especially training of trainers (TOTs) sessions in order to enhance the sustainability of the initiatives, a Regional Judicial Colloquium on address Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants will be convened in 2023, SAJEI and UNODC finalized the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Judicial Handbook for Judges and Magistrates in South Africa.

The training workshop was attended by Judges and Magistrates from KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces in South Africa; officials from South Africa Judicial Education Institute (SAJE) and UNODC officials.

Group photo of participants

This Judicial Colloquium was held under the Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM) Project which is a model of ONE-UN approach collaborative effort between 4 UN development and humanitarian agencies: the ILO, the IOM, UNODC and UNHCR. The overall objective of this programme is to improve migration management in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region.

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Migration and Development Forum Kingdom of Eswatini

The Migration Development Forum sought to facilitate the identification and exchange of good practices among different government institutions and cooperation partners that would create an enabling environment towards the effective mobilization of the Emaswati Diaspora. The discussion also focused on youth engagement within the diaspora. With tech com- panies like Twitter and Google opening in Ghana this brings attractive job prospects for youth, including technical skills transfer from Ghanaian diaspora.

The importance of segmentation of diaspora groups was explained and those that left Ghana as economic migrants less than a generation ago versus those with ancestry ties to the country or those who had different reasons to leave Ghana. This helps to personalize the response to why these particular diaspora communities should re-engage with the country and/or return. The purpose of diaspora events is the connection to place, to people and to have fun. It was noted that there are common features between Lesotho and Eswatini: both are kingdoms with a shared common neighbour in South Africa, with a large percentage of labour migrants in South Africa. The need for schemes and incentives as part of policy development and action planning as an interplay between government and private sector interests was outlined during the forum.

There is also a need to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of Emaswati in Eswatini and abroad to see the opportunity to go abroad and make money and the aspirations of Emaswati to then return to Eswatini to build a house and set a business. The panel discussion concluded by outlining the need to create a business ecosystem that involves the interplay between government, business, society, and diaspora communities.

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