Launch Migration Profile to help inform policy decisions
Minister Hugh Todd and others during the virtual launch of the Migration Profile
Kaieteur News – On Wednesday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration launched the Migration Profile in Guyana: Promoting an Evidence-Based Policy Making project. This is according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stated that Guyana stands to benefit from the IOM-supported project, which will centralize, share and analyze data collection on migration and existing data collection to inform better migration policy.
At the launch, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, emphasized the Government’s efforts to use science to inform public policy. Furthermore, the Foreign Minister stated that “the evidence-based approach helps us determine the demographics of our population, which in turn will assist our development drive.”
According to the IOM, a Migration Profile is “an analysis of available accurate and disaggregated data on some or all aspects relevant to migration from a country’s national context, prepared in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, the they can be used to improve policy cohesion. , formulating an evidence-based policy on migration and mainstreaming migration into development plans. ”
IOM’s Regional Co-ordinating Officer for the Caribbean and Head of Mission, Robert Natiello, stated that Guyana is on the cusp of great change. Included are changing migration dynamics, noted IOM Guyana’s Head of Mission. He emphasized that migration was gradually being recognized as a “key driver of sustainable development.”
United Nations Resident Coordinator Mikiko Tanaka attributed Guyana’s rich ethnic diversity to migration. He noted that hundreds of millions of migrants worldwide live outside their home country.
The UN Resident Coordinator stressed the importance of including migration specifically in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This, he said, further demonstrates the growing recognition of clear links between migration and its potential for a positive impact on global development.
Tanaka highlighted the positive contribution of migrants to their new host communities in the form of skills, strengthening the labor force, and enhancing cultural diversity. According to the Resident Coordinator, migrants also contribute to their communities of origin by transferring acquired skills and financial resources, thereby contributing to positive development outcomes at home.
The Migration Profile includes a component for capacity building and coordination across Government Ministries, Civil Society and Academia to foster greater country ownership. The output of the study will include consultation with stakeholders to help identify gaps, strategies and evidence to inform policy on, among others, economic, developmental and social aspects affecting migration.
At the launch, stakeholders from Government Ministries, UN agencies, international partners, and local NGOs were briefed on the Migration Profile process and their role in the success and development of the project. When completed in 2022, a report will be launched detailing the findings.
To date, over 100 Migration Profiles have been developed worldwide.