VIENNA, 6 June 2024 – The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) opens new Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Iraq and Pakistan. The MRCs promote safe and regular migration processes for prospective migrants, fight trafficking and people-smuggling through raising awareness, provide pre-departure counselling for emigrants, post-arrival briefings to migrant workers and offer re-integration support for the returnees.
Countries
Afghanistan / Bangladesh / Iraq / Kyrgyzstan / Pakistan / Sri Lanka / Tajikistan
Status
Ongoing
Duration
April 2016
MRCs: Safe and regular migration
Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) are physical structures located within the premises of partner governments and jointly supervised by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and national governments. The MRCs operate in the capitals and major cities of the Silk Routes and Central Asian countries to promote safe and regular migration and reduce irregular migration.
Services and Activities
The MRCs offer comprehensive information on migration-related challenges and opportunities through awareness-raising initiatives and campaigns, community education, and reintegration support and referral. These efforts assist outgoing, intending and potential migrants in making well-informed decisions.
Funding
Since 2016, the European Union has been the primary donor, with several other countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland, also serving as key donors in support of the MRCs.
MRC Afghanistan
Virtual
Established under the PROTECT Project, MRC Afghanistan operated in Kabul from 2018 to August 2021. Following the fall of the former Afghan Republic, it transitioned to a virtual platform in November 2021.
In collaboration with the Ministry for Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration of Spain (MISSM), MRC Afghanistan promotes complementary pathways for educational opportunities and employment, supporting sustainable integration for Afghan students in Spain.
MRC Bangladesh
Dhaka | Cumilla
The MRCs in Dhaka and Cumilla are temporarily closed following the project's completion, while the District Employment and Manpower Office in Dhaka continues the MRC outreach through selected initiatives and social media campaigns.
From 2022 to 2023, MRC Bangladesh collaborated with the public and private sectors, conducting workshops with faith-based groups, migrants, airport migration desks, and the private sector on safe migration and sustainable reintegration.
MRC Iraq
Baghdad | Erbil
Under the CAIR, NORDIQ, MIRAMI, and MAARC Projects, the MRC in Baghdad, established in 2020, and the MRC in Erbil, inaugurated in 2024, empower migrants in Iraq by raising awareness of migration processes, protecting migrant’s rights, and preventing irregular migration.
To expand outreach, MRC Iraq launched capacity-building initiatives for Labour Department officials in multiple governorates, equipping them with knowledge on migration matters. This effort ensures that migrants can access essential information and services directly through MoLSA staff, meeting the needs of potential, intending, and returning migrants.
MRC Kyrgyzstan
Osh
Under the PROTECT Project, MRC Kyrgyzstan was inaugurated in Osh in March 2024. In collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Social Security, and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic, the MRC employs a comprehensive strategy that includes community engagement, personalised support, and partnership development.
As part of its outreach in the Jalal-Abad and Batken regions, the MRC and the Centre for Employment of Citizens Abroad held meetings with district state administrations, municipalities, universities, and Ministry officials, along with rural authorities, social workers, youth, and police. The discussions focused on safe labour migration and the risks of illegal migration, with participants emphasising the importance of these sessions due to the lack of available information.
MRC Pakistan
Islamabad | Lahore | Peshawar
Under the framework of the PROTECT and PARIM Project, three operational MRCs have been established in Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore, and the newly inaugurated MRC in Peshawar in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, which opened in June 2024.
Currently, the MRCs have Memoranda of Understanding with more than 40 academic and training institutes in Pakistan to establish a framework for enhanced collaboration and a deeper understanding of migration issues.
MRC Sri Lanka
Batticaloa
The MRC in Sri Lanka was launched in April 2024 in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. Based at the SLBFE office in Batticaloa, the MRC focuses on outreach in Eastern Provinces Ampara, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa — major sources of migrants, including victims of human trafficking and smuggling.
MRC Sri Lanka will engage with key CSOs in Eastern provinces and partner with SLBFE to provide pre-migration and pre-departure orientation, training, counseling, and case response referrals.
MRC Tajikistan
Dushanbe
MRC Tajikistan reopened in November 2023 at the premises of the Migration Service in Dushanbe, established and jointly managed by the Ministry of Labour, Migration and Employment of Population (MoLMEP) and ICMPD.
Under the PROTECT framework, the MRC collaborates closely with the Migration Service and the Centre for consultation and preparation of labour migrants to enhance pre-departure information and briefings, focusing on diversifying migration flows.