Switzerland – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in close collaboration with the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), will hold its second annual IOM NGO Humanitarian Consultations on Monday 13th June in Geneva.

More than 40 NGOs are expected to attend this year’s Consultations, representing both national and international NGOs engaged in humanitarian action. The consultations will focus on key issues relating to changing the public narrative and negative perception of refugees and other migrants, the humanitarian-development nexus, and accountability to affected populations.

Together with senior panelists from the UN, IOM and NGOs, participants will also explore the various dimensions of refugee and migrant flows in the lead-up to the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants in September.

“The event will enable participants to explore how IOM and NGOs can work better together to protect and assist people in need,” said Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Director of Operations and Emergencies.

He added “Effective partnerships can strengthen the overall response, as knowledge, resources and assets can be shared and leveraged to expand coverage and help overcome obstacles in reaching people in need, maximizing the added value of each partner.”

The event provides space for civil society and IOM to engage in discussions on joint action and opportunities and challenges, with a central feature of the Consultations being an IOM-NGO Partnership Fair, showcasing a number of good practice examples of how IOM and NGOs are working together to protect and assist people in need.

For further information please contact Angela Staiger at IOM HQM, Email: humanitarianpolicy@iom.int