What makes a ‘Good Practice’? - Migrant Communities

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During the Migration for Development Knowledge Fair, Roundtable Consultations focusing on the thematic area of ‘Migrant Communities’ discussed 3 main questions:

1. What are the key factors necessary to successfully include diaspora organizations in development planning in host and home countries?
2. What are the key factors necessary to adequately reinforce the capacities of migrant communities/networks so that they can become better actors for development?
3. What are the key success factors necessary to involve women in migration and development projects?

The consultation is now continuing online here to allow all members of the Migration for Development community to provide your inputs to these questions. Please use the ‘Comments’ section below to share your responses and examples. These will be incorporated into the final, community-owned, report - a first step towards defining what makes a ‘Good Practice’ in the area of Migrant Communities. Comments may also be sent to the community at m4d@groups.dev-nets.org

1. Key factors necessary to successfully include diaspora organizations in development planning in host and home countries

The working groups at the Fair identified the following 5 important points:

• Speaking about the elaboration and/or expansion of enabling diaspora policies, it was noted that it is important that governments in home and host countries do not try to cover the various aspects of diaspora involvement in development with a one blanket diaspora policy. The challenge is about creating a favourable environment that enables the different migrant communities to engage in their way and with their respective capacities/skills in the development of their countries of origin.
• Furthermore, there is a need to raise the awareness and understanding of the value of the different ways of contributing to development both within the diaspora communities and among other stakeholder, such as governments, development NGOs, local communities etc.
• Moreover, the needs assessment and priority setting of the development agenda should come from the home country governments/home communities as well as the willingness to involve migrant communities in this planning process. EX: Creation of dedicated diaspora ministries in countries of origin to strengthen the link with and involvement of migrant communities; trust building is needed as well as a permanent forum to enable discussion and dialogues between migrant and home communities as well as with decision makers (existence of migrant advisers/advisory boards)
• There is also a need for a more coordinated approach to the fragmented/small-scale initiatives in order to have a meaningful impact on the development of countries of origin => question who should take that coordination role?
• Manage expectations of diaspora and home country governments: while it is a positive evolution that the potential of migrant communities as development agents has been recognized, there is a risk to overestimate what can be achieved - as it was said during one of the plenary session “migrant communities are part but not THE solution to the global development challenges” - hence there is a need to have proper channels of communication and information to manage these expectations.

2. Key factors necessary to adequately reinforce the capacities of migrant communities/networks so that they can become better actors for development

The following four dimensions were reported by the working groups:

• Involve migrant communities not ONLY because of their cultural/migration background but because of their skills/capacities => recommendation to promote and support community networks of certain professions; e.g. Philippines nurses in the UK that work both on their rights in the UK but also on advocating and influencing government policies related to health in the Philippines; EX: Ethiopian migrant health professional who was able to mobilize and associate non-Ethiopian health professionals to transfer their skills and knowledge; e.g. France association of migrant entrepreneurs, i.e. multicultural migrant associations;
• Host government/societies need to give migrant communities the opportunities to strengthen their skills/capacities => question of integration into host societies and then of the visibility of actions;
• Fundamental to the success of migration & development projects are rainbow of partnerships; this seems to be also the case for capacity building learning from experiences and benefiting from infrastructure and network of international development NGOs, government authorities (e.g. partnerships of local governments in home and host countries);
• Need for capacity building at different levels; emphasis on training of trainers/or community leaders as well as more attention needs to be given to the sustainability of the action both on migrant communities and home communities.

3. Key success factors necessary to involve women in migration and development projects

The following factors were highlighted:

• Tendency of increased female circular and especially seasonal migration - in order that these women can make best benefit out of their migratory experiences back home, there is a need to accompany their migratory process;
• Need to empower women => require special attention when it comes to capacity building;
• Use of success stories as models for other women to be involved in development projects.

Please use the ‘Comments’ section below to add your responses and examples. Comments may also be sent to the community at m4d@groups.dev-nets.org

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