This past weekend, IOM Nairobi held an awareness raising workshop
in Djibouti, to sensitize Djibouti authorities on mixed migration
flows, the risks to and consequences for migrants and host
communities, and IOM's response to those challenges. The workshop
also introduced the concept of migrants' rights within
International Law and Islam.

Djibouti has unique migration challenges owing to its location
at the crossroads linking Europe, Asia and Africa. It is also a
gateway from the horn of Africa to the Middle East and appears to
be increasingly becoming a source and transit country for movements
across the Gulf of Aden and beyond.

Every year, thousands of irregular migrants from Eritrea,
Ethiopia, and Somalia escape to or pass through Djibouti as they
flee conflict, famine and poverty in their counties. These migrants
are often vulnerable to human trafficking, harassment, physical
attacks, robberies, diseases and in some cases, death.

The workshop is part of overall IOM efforts in Djibouti and in
the region, to protect vulnerable migrants, working with
government, local leadership, civil society, migrant and host
communities to emphasize human rights and improved access to
emergency services and support including services to victims of
trafficking, stranded migrants and intercepted migrants, many of
whom end up living in congested settlements in poor urban
communities.

Irregular mixed migration also presents various challenges to
States. IOM programmes seek to address these challenges through
collective regional coordination and consultation among
stakeholders.

The workshop was funded with support from the Governments of
Switzerland and Japan.

For more Information please contact:

Robert Odile

E-mail: "mailto:orobert@iom.int">orobert@iom.int

or

Ondieki Janet

E-mail: "mailto:jondieki@iom.int">jondieki@iom.int