Strengthening Migration Data Collection and Analysis in Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe
Lack of disaggregated, reliable, timely and comparable migration data for evidence-based policy making is a challenge that is facing a lot of IOM Southern African member states, Lesotho is not an exception. Under-utilization of data is also one factor that contributes to formulation of policies that are not backed by evidence.
With support from the IOM Development Fund, Lesotho has started addressing this challenge. To enhance evidence-based policy making and to promote demand of data by technocrats who influence policy, IOM organized a three-day training on data literacy from 24 to 26 February 2021 for the National Consultative Committee on Migration (NCC) and the Migration Data Working Group (MDWG). The working group forms a necessary institutional structure to support the coordination role of the Bureau of Statistics for timely data. The training was intended to build capacity of data producing ministries and institutions on the supply side of data and the NCC on the demand side for utilization of data in policy formulation.