Migration – C4D Network

Audience responses to migration stories: Voices of African migrants (International Media Support and University of Leicester, 2018)

April 14, 2019

This report was commissioned to examine the nature and quality of media stories produced by journalists supported by the Voices of African Migrants pilot programme (see http://migrantvoices.org/), managed by International Media Support (IMS), in four migration ‘Hubs’ in Africa, and explored how local audiences interpreted and responded to those stories. It used content analysis, interviews and focus group discussions.

The research findings show that most stories used human interest frames and foregrounded migrant experiences. The migrants’ main contributions to the stories were to provide a human face to hardships and suffering. Meanwhile, NGOs were included to provide facts, statements of general causes of migrations, statistics, and a sense of scale. Government statements were used to provide a comment on policies and solutions. Most articles were supportive in their sentiments to the plight of migrants.

Participants in the focus groups (especially migrants themselves) recognised that migrant voices were missing from mainstream media reporting on migration, that reporting on migration tends to be negative, and that there are pressing issues relating to migration that need to be discussed in the public sphere.

Focus group participants generally responded with empathy and understanding in response to stories about the hardships migrants face. Some stories provoked a distancing or disruption to understanding, especially when an aspect of the story did not match their prior tacit or cultural knowledge about migration. A small number of stories deeply moved focus group participants.

The report unpacks how an emphasis on ‘voice’ in this context can inadvertently lead to an underinterrogation of systemic and structural issues by individualising, and in some cases, perpetuating a representation of migrants as helpless victims.

Click here for full report.

Dignity and humanitarian action in displacement (ODI report, 2019)

April 3, 2019

This report draws on the findings of a two-year HPG research project on ‘Dignity in displacement: from rhetoric to reality’. The goal of the project was not to define dignity, but to understand what it meant to affected people in different places, with different cultures and at different times. It explores how refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and returnees in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Lebanon, the Philippines and South Sudan understand dignity, and whether (and how) they feel that their dignity has been upheld in displacement.

It then compares their understanding with that of humanitarian workers in these responses, analysing what this means for humanitarian policy, programme design and implementation more broadly, and the localisation agenda more specifically.

It suggests six recommendations for incorporating dignity into a humanitarian response including:

Invest time and resources in listening to the affected population from the start of the response, and use this information to inform project design and implementation.
Use more face-to-face communication, especially in the assessment phase of the humanitarian response, and pay attention to what means of communication are appropriate at each stage.
To better understand the local culture and language, include anthropologists, sociologists, translators and others in the response, who can help in understanding the affected population and the dynamics of their situation.
Invest in programmes that promote self-reliance, where possible, and encourage more participation by affected communities in project design and implementation.

Click here for full report.

Participatory Mapping Toolkit: A Guide For Refugee Contexts ( Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, 2018)

March 17, 2019

This practical How-To Guide contains three separate sections.

Section One: The Power of Participatory Mapping explains how these methods are in fact a means of mainstreaming protection into operations.
Section Two: Refugee Contexts reviews all of the different factors an organization should consider before engaging in a project.
Finally, Section Three: Tools and Processes is the true heart of the toolkit – it is a series of powerful tools and processes that span the lifecycle of mapping, from remote to field mapping, quality assurance to map creation. It has everything you need to begin, and links out to more in depth resources such as our growing Github toolbox.

Click here for full toolkit.

IOM X free online resources designed to engage audiences about human trafficking and exploitation and build a C4D Campaign (2019)

February 6, 2019

IOM X is the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s campaign to encourage safe migration and public action to stop exploitation and human trafficking. Their website provides a number of free resources designed to to engage audiences about human trafficking and exploitation, as well as the tools to build a Communication for Development campaign.

The first part of the website is a library of downloadable IOM X materials. This includes videos, factsheets, presentations, research and training guides that you can use to support communication campaigns. These are mostly editable files.

The second part of the website guides readers through the process of creating a C4D campaign. Along with detailed instructions for every step, and tools you may need, such as facilitation guides and examples from past campaigns. Note that C4D approaches are relevant across IOM activities, not just counter-trafficking.

Click here to visit the website.

Evaluating the impact of information campaigns in the field of migration: A systematic review of the evidence, and practical guidance ( Central Mediterranean Route Thematic Report Series, International Organization for Migration, 2018)

February 6, 2019

“Evaluating the impact of information campaigns in the field of migration: A systematic review of the evidence, a practical guidance” presents the results of a systematic literature review of the evaluations of migration information campaigns.

The study reveals that the evidence base available for programming and policymaking in this area remains very limited. In the absence of reliable evidence, the debate on the potential of this policy tool often relies on anecdotal evidence. The current lack of evidence limits the impact of future campaigns, and better evidence can show how information campaigns can be designed to best achieve their intended effects given the particular circumstances. While rigorous assessment of information campaigns can be difficult and costly, better evidence is clearly needed wherever feasible and appropriate.

Click here for full study.