Somalia – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, with the support of the Government of Japan, held a training on trafficking, smuggling and human rights for migrants for 25 officials from the Federal Government of Somalia’s Ministry of Labour from 26 February to 1 March 2018. The training was aimed at sensitizing the Ministry of Labour on human trafficking, irregular migration and the dangers of irregular migration.

There has been an upsurge of irregular migration from Africa in the recent past, putting many migrants at risk of life-threatening hazards. Many Somalis have, for instance, lost their lives in Libya while attempting to reach Europe in search of jobs and economic opportunities.

The Ministry of Labour is a key player in the labour market and job creation and IOM is sensitizing the ministry on the situation and the exploitation of migrants. Many migrants who leave Somalia in search of a better life suffer exploitation before they reach their destinations. Job creation through vocational, technical and possible government-to-government agreements are some of the ways the Ministry of Labour can mitigate irregular migration.

IOM informed the Ministry of Labour about the Migration Response Centre (MRC) that IOM is establishing in Mogadishu with the support of the European Union. Migrants and victims of trafficking will be able to get direct assistance through the MRC as well as receive information on trafficking and irregular migration.

The MRC will also provide food, clothing, counselling, medical and legal aid, shelter and reintegration assistance to victims of trafficking and irregular migrants. The reintegration assistance allows victims of trafficking to reintegrate into their communities. Vulnerable migrants will be assisted with services such as registration by the government and referrals to technical, vocational and educational training opportunities within Somalia. In most instances, officials within recipient countries are not aware of the rights of migrants. The migrant rights training for the Ministry of Labour not only creates awareness on the need for governments to treat returnees, internally displaced people and victims of trafficking with dignity, but also where they can refer those in need of assistance.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, the Director General in the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ismail Mohamed, stated: “Most participants of the training did not have in-depth understanding of trafficking, irregular migration and migrant rights. Through this training we all know the difference and are better able to identify cases of trafficking if we come across such cases.”

For more information please contact the Programme Support Unit at IOM Somalia, Tel: +254715990600, Email: iomsomaliapsu@iom.int