MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE

1. By Najla Chahda MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE

2. Introduction • 1994: CLMC’s inception • Social counseling, follow up, legal assistance inside and outside prisons • 150,000 migrants assisted each year • Orientation seminars on rights and responsibilities to 30,000 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. • Awareness sessions for over 18,000 Lebanese persons on migrants’ rights and responsibilities.

3. Great vulnerability of migrants due to lack of awareness on their rights and sources of assistance. • Reinforcement of CLMC’s network of partners in countries of origin to provide prevention and protection to migrant workers through the migration process. • Country-specific Pre-Departure Orientation Sessions to reinforce knowledge of rights, where to seek assistance if/when needed, what are the risks of irregular migration channels.

4. 2009: close collaboration with local NGO Pourakhi in Nepal • June 2010: Lebanon-specific curriculum for pre-departure orientation sessions (PDOS) and Training of Trainers sessions with Pourakhi's staff. • 2010 – 2011: • collaboration with Caritas Bangladesh and Bangladeshi grassroots NGO OKUP and adaptation of the Lebanon-specific pre-departure orientation curriculum to the Bangladesh context • 2012: Trainers of Trainees with OKUP’s trainers and launching of PDOS.

5. EU-funded program “Initiating a global approach in supporting and empowering migrants throughout the migration cycle and asylum-seekers and refugees in Lebanon”: • to contribute to the protection and defense of the rights of asylum-seekers, refugees and women domestic migrant workers throughout the migration cycle in Lebanon and countries of origin • to foster their socio-economic development • CLMC is part of a consortium gathering Caritas Luxembourg and Austria, and partners from Ethiopia and Bangladesh.

6. 3 specific objectives: • to contribute to the protection and defense of the rights of the target group in Ethiopia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Nepal, • to contribute to the promotion and protection of refugees’ and migrants’ rights, the rule of law and the implementation of ways to combat trafficking in human, • to foster the socio-economic development of the target groups in Lebanon, Ethiopia and Bangladesh.

7. Methodology • Tailor-made (individual) comprehensive protective assistance: • migrants and refugees needing assistance are interviewed by social workers as soon as they are referred or come to Caritas centers or other project partners • Tailor-made (individual) reintegration assistance: • individual reintegration plans for returnees according to their needs and those of their communities. • aims to ensure sustainable support and qualitative services • Sustainable livelihood approach: • vocational training and seed grants to build economic resiliency, sustain livelihoods, and contribute to community development over the long-term

8. Empowerment approach: • Target groups develop a sense of independence and financial autonomy to act according to their own interests and needs • Network-based approach /case-management: • will create seamless services and strengthen protection across borders • will enhance the existing networks and cooperation between NGOs and governmental institutions in the respective countries • Participative approach/community based approach: • Migrants and communities play an active role in building economic resiliency, defending their own rights to the maximum possible, and planning for long-term development.

9. Addressing structural causes of rights’ violations with advocacy and networking at national, regional and international levels: • all consortium actors actively and directly involved and within advocacy networks in expressing their first hands-on experience together with structured analysis towards national governments and their relevant ministries, embassies of countries of origin, international organizations and other relevant stakeholders. • Objectives to be addressed: • Reforming the sponsorship system in Lebanon, • Reducing time in retention, • Protecting refugees and asylum seekers against retention or deportation

10. Means to address these issues: • Capacity building of management staff and officers of relevant Ministries (Social, Justice), • Lobbying with countries of origin and international donors in United Nations (Human Rights Commission), • Lobbying with NGO-Networks.

11. Advocacy • Coordination between Europe, Lebanon, and countries of origin for advocacy and awareness raising efforts, • Celebration of worldwide events: International Migrants Day, International Domestic Workers Day, and World Refugee Day: • Opportunities to reach the public, decision-makers, and other participating stakeholders, • They provide a forum to distribute advocacy materials and studies

12. Joint decisions for common themes and advocacy agendas, • Slogans, logos, graphic design, and messages will all be coordinated across all the partners through teleconferences • Events will be primarily used for raising awareness and advocating specific issues of migration between Lebanon and countries of origin • Focus on issues of the gender dimension of migration, the dignity of domestic laborers, and cultural attitudes

13. Advocacy agenda with one or two key demands will be developed in coordination between all partners each year • Invitation of supportive embassies, international organizations, media, and NGOs to attend with a view to mobilizing them to join in advocacy efforts • Different intended audiences and expected results of the advocacy events from one country to another but same goal: • To raise awareness on the cross-border nature of migration and the need to ensure that migrants have their rights upheld through the migration process

14. Strength of the project • Preventive measures: • Adaptation of the PDOS to the culture and specific contexts of migrant workers’ homeland • Modules: • Rights and responsibilities in Lebanon • Basic Arabic phrases • Lebanese culture • Where to seek assistance if needed • Trafficking and irregular migration • Presentation of household work in Lebanon • Visual and oral techniques and interactive means to increase their understanding • Referral among partners in Lebanon and countries of origin ensuring a holistic approach throughout the migration cycle

15. Recommendations for the HLD • Better coordination among UN Agencies and Civil Society Actors • Promote the ratification and implementation of existing international instruments to protect migrants .

16. advocatefor a humanitarian space, distinct from authorities, which will enable National Societies to address the migrants’ needs • strengthen cooperation among NS from countries of origin, transit and destination(bilateral agreements).

17. adopt a dual track approach on migrant women • implementprojects addressing specific vulnerability of women • sensitizethe public to the specific vulnerability of women (decision-makers, media. politicians, public at large) • advocatethe rights and protection of children and advocate for creation of specific programmes tailored to the needs of children