EMERGE

Enhancing Migrants’ Rights and Good Governance in Armenia and Georgia (EMERGE)
 

Donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway                       

Duration: December 2019 - November 2022

EMERGE aims to strengthen national capacities in the fields of migrants rights and migration governance  in Armenia and Georgia and strengthen cross-border dialogue and cooperation in the area.
 

Project activities

Research

The project aims to do research and undertake public surveys concerning public attitudes, role of media and various aspects of migrants’ rights and needs including gaps in the rights centered service provision. Comprehensive research will help inform migration themed discussions, public awareness campaigns, advocacy efforts, policy planning and capacity building measures.

Government-focused trainings and study tours

The project will conduct coordination meetings, organize expert exchanges and trainings for government counterpart on topics relevant to protection of migrants’ right identified in close coordination with government stakeholders. A study tour for the government partners to countries delivering rights centered services to migrants will be organized. In Armenia, the project will support the government in developing capacity and strategy on voluntary return from Armenia, covering operational costs for migrants in vulnerable situations in a pilot project, until government budget is allocated.

Civil society and media capacity building

EMERGE will seek to identify core civil society partners in Georgia and Armenia and enhance their expertise on migration issues (e.g. Global Compact for Migration—GCM). Based on the research findings, the project will strengthen civil society migration related activism and advocacy and help building cross border networks. EMERGE will also work with media, journalist and students of journalism to deepen their migration related knowledge and understanding of terminology, working to increase accurate, balanced and more positive coverage of migration issues in all types of media including social media.

Awareness raising campaigns

IOM will work with NGOs  and experts on designing creative multimedia public campaigns to highlight migrants’ rights and promote positive aspects of well regulated migration. The project will also organize a photo exhibit using photography as a medium to describe migrant journeys and highlight their stories, seeking to inform and educate general public and inspire greater activism in this area.

Regional Consultative Platform

The project will help bring Eastern Partnership and beyond countries together to discuss latest trends and challenges relevant to migration governance, aiming to set up a regional migration platform that will help exchange best practices and build partnerships to help advance regular migration, migrants’ human rights protection, and migration governance as a whole.

Using Information Technology to Enhance Access to Information

Migrants’ access to information and services will be improved through an accessible information platform that will be based on IOM’s MIGAPP app.