Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. IOM is part of the United Nations system, as a related organization, and has 175 member states and a presence in 171 countries.
IOM supports migrants across the world, developing effective responses to the shifting dynamics of migration and, as such, is a key source of advice on migration policy and practice. The organization works in emergency situations, developing the resilience of all people on the move, and particularly those in situations of vulnerability, as well as building capacity within governments to manage all forms and impacts of mobility.
The Organization is guided by the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including upholding human rights for all. IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society, with respect for the rights, dignity and well-being of migrants paramount.
IOM Strategic Direction
IOM's Strategic Plan (2024–2028) sets out how the Organization will support its Member States to seize the opportunities and face the challenges of migration, while supporting the world's most vulnerable people. The plan invites IOM's many partners to work with the Organization to achieve three Strategic Objectives:
- Saving lives and protecting people on the move
- Driving solutions to displacement
- Facilitating pathways for regular migration
The 2024 Crisis Response Plans are structured to contribute to the Strategic Plan and are an integral part of the IOM Global Appeal 2024.
In recent years, IOM has developed a number of crisis-relevant policies, frameworks and guidance, built on its global operational experience and aligned to international standards. Key amongst these is the Migration Crisis Operational Framework (MCOF) which supports the operationalization of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus and reinforces IOM’s people centered-approach. IOM is committed to ensuring that the needs and rights of individuals and communities are at the core of its operations, and it is to these populations whom IOM’s humanitarian and other crisis-related work is accountable. IOM's crisis-relevant strategic and operational documents are centralized on IOM’s Emergency Manual.
Inter-agency Engagement
Migration is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which articulates several of the links between migration and sustainable development and recognizes that migrants must be taken into consideration as part of efforts to leave no one behind. As a core member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group and Coordinator and Secretariat of United Nations Network on Migration, IOM plays a central role in ensuring effective, timely and coordinated United Nations system-wide support to Member States to enhance cooperation on international migration and maximize its contribution to sustainable development. The United Nations system is committed to supporting the implementation, follow-up and review of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
IOM is a full member of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and contributes to collective efforts towards improving the effectiveness of principled humanitarian action and strengthening accountability across the humanitarian system, from the country level – including as a member of Humanitarian Country Teams – to the regional and global levels. IOM is the global Camp Coordination and Camp Management cluster lead in emergencies induced by disaster, and holds coordination cluster roles in many countries.
The UN Secretary General (SG) constituted a High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement in 2019 to make recommendations, renew focus and global commitments to address the protection and long-term recovery and resilience needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The panel’s work culminated in a report entitled Shining a Light on Internal Displacement: A Vision for the Future to the UN Secretary General (SG) on 29th September 2021. As a follow on, the SG appointed a Special Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement and tasked the UN system with implementing the SG’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, launched in June 2022, to put the recommendations of the High-Level Panel into practice. IOM is one of five organizations playing a leading role in advancing the UN SG’s Action Agenda through its support to the Special Adviser’s interagency Steering Group. IOM brings wide-ranging expertise to bear on the problem and is mobilizing its vast global footprint in support of the Agenda around three key pillars: strengthening anticipation, prevention and preparedness; ensuring a solutions lens is applied from the start; and promoting permanent solutions to displacement. This includes direct support and guidance to IDPs, communities, Governments and Humanitarian Coordinators / Resident Coordinators to respond to internal displacement, and leveraging IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix to improve, strengthen and better harness solutions data.
In 2022, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres called for a global effort to ensure that early warning systems protect everyone on Earth by 2027. Early Warnings for All is a groundbreaking initiative to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027.