The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration (MHAI) has indicated the need to develop a comprehensive national migration policy. However, at present, there is a severe lack of reliable data available on migration within the country. Therefore, the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) has requested assistance from IOM to develop a national migration profile (MP) in order to collect, analyze, and report on migration-related data which is to be collected across ministries, departments, and agencies.
The overall objective of this project is to support evidence-based policy making and promote the mainstreaming of migration into the policymaking process by developing a MP. To achieve these aims, government officials responsible for collecting, analyzing, and publishing migration data require greater understanding of the current migration situation within Namibia and the skills to continue providing information on migration in order to better equip policymakers. This project intends to assist by developing a methodology for migration data collection, sharing, and analysis as well as through gathering information for a migration profile report which can serve as a baseline for further reporting. Government officials directly involved with collecting this type of information will be trained to improve the quality of existing data and promote the updating of the MP report on a regular basis. Also, the same officials will work closely with IOM on developing the tools needed for the collection of data in the future.
Migration profiles need to be government-owned in order to become an effective policymaking tool and ensure sustainability. At the beginning of the project, a technical working group will be formed to guide implementation. Additionally, a government department will be established to take the lead in regular updates over the long-term. To achieve this goal, IOM will work closely with the National Statistics Agency (NSA). The migration profile project will also help build the capacity of the NSA by the transfer of skills and knowledge. Specifically, a mechanism will be established which can capture migration data at shorter durations than the current ten-year cycle of the national census.