International Organization for Migration (IOM)

IOM interventions contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution and safeguarding public health by implementing safe wastewater disposal solutions. IOM provides onsite wastewater solutions through decentralized wastewater treatment systems. For example, use of up-flow anaerobic filters in refugee camps in Bangladesh, waste stabilization ponds in displacement sites in South Sudan and trickling filters in Uganda.

IOM’s work contributes to the provision of adequate and equitable sanitation services through construction of appropriate facilities and effective management of the sanitation chain. IOM focuses on influencing behaviour through its hygiene promotion initiatives by incorporating communication strategies that are participatory and tailored for the context.

IOM provides safe water in line with relevant quality standards. Interventions include rehabilitation of existing water infrastructure and installation of new water treatment and supply systems. IOM strives to promote sustainability of WASH interventions through strengthening governance structures to ensure long term functionality of water systems.

Disaster risk reduction programming: IOM has been engaging in research, policy and advocacy efforts, capacity building and operational activities in the area of migration, environment and climate change and disaster risk reduction since the 1990s, seeking to bring migration in the context of climate change, environmental degradation, and disasters at the heart of international, regional and national concerns. Collaboration with its Member States, observers and partners has been instrumental in this regard.
Since 2007, Member States have requested IOM to report on its work on migration, environment and climate change within its governing bodies, including at its Council, the Standing Committee on Programmes and Finances and the International Dialogue on Migration. In 2014, Member States requested IOM to scale up action on migration, environment and climate change, which led to the establishment of the Migration, Environment and Climate Change (MECC) Division in 2015. This institutional change formalized IOM’s engagement in this thematic area, making IOM the first international organization to have established an institutional structure fully devoted to this topic.
Disaster risk reduction components, including resilience-building, hazard prevention and mitigation, community-based preparedness and institutional capacity-building have been integral to IOM’s work on displacement and migration for almost 20 years – at least since the recovery period following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the portfolio has diversified and expanded, spanning hundreds of interventions in all regions. Since 2021, IOM’s MECC and DRR programming are located within the same division, bringing together more than 30 years of experience on MECC and DRR work.
IOM’s extensive field presence (23,000 staff globally across more than 590 offices in 174 countries), and mandate to work across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus enables the Organization to link its work in disaster contexts with sustainable development, resilience-building and climate action. IOM has dedicated MECC and DRR thematic specialists based in its headquarters, regional and country offices that provide technical and analytical support for programmes at local, national, regional and global levels. IOM’s MECC and DRR work is supported by strong relationships fostered at the community level. Communities’ unique contexts, perspectives and needs are identified and factored into programming by ensuring inclusive participation and local-level engagement.

IOM’s work on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and environmental degradation contributes to the efforts of Member States to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 2015-2030 by advancing mobility-based strategies in disaster risk reduction and resilience, paying particular attention to at-risk communities, migrants and other vulnerable mobile populations.
IOM hosted the secretariat for the Migrants in Countries in Crisis (MICIC) Initiative, a government-led effort co-chaired by the United States and the Philippines, aimed to improve the protection of migrants when the countries in which they live, work, study, transit, or travel experience a natural disaster or conflict.
IOM, together with the UNHCR, is a Standing Invitee to the Platform on Disaster Displacement’s Steering Group, and plays a key role in supporting States’ efforts to implement the Nansen Initiative Protection Agenda and the priorities identified by the Platform’s Steering Group, which are directly in line with IOM’s vision and action on addressing displacement and human mobility associated with natural disasters and climate change.

IOM launched a series of capacity-building workshops targeting mid to senior level policymakers and practitioners active in environmental and/or migration areas to support national and regional policymaking processes related to migration, environment and climate change. These workshops include topics related to the water-migration nexus for policymaking.

As the negative impacts of climate change are manifesting themselves globally, many people are progressively affected by water-related disasters such as flooding and drought. During such emergencies, IOM is committed to provide life-saving assistance aimed at ensuring safe access to basic WASH services. In addition to a timely intervention, IOM strives to establish the best mechanisms for crisis preparedness, guaranteeing that emergency supplies as well as surge capacity are available for an effective response.

IOM’s work on climate change adaptation contributes to the efforts of Member States to implement the human mobility dimensions of the Paris Agreement.

Policy and advocacy work to raise awareness on the importance of considering migration in water management and vice versa water issues in migration policies.

IOM leads the Global Water and Solar Initiative (GLOSWI), which provides capacity building and technical assistance to WASH stakeholders in the humanitarian sector. To date GLOSWI has supported a total of 82 WASH organizations in 47 different countries in five continents in their projects with direct trainings, online helpline and field visits, to adopt and scale-up solar-powered water supply systems.

Policy and advocacy work to raise awareness on the importance of considering migration in water management and vice versa water issues in migration policies. 5 events were organized/co-organized dedicated exclusively to the nexus of migration and water during 2018, out of which 3 of them were conveyed at high-level. An integrated advocacy and communication strategy has been developed to advance the topic at the policy level, which includes inter alia written publications, online media and innovative partnerships related to the topic.