On 29th May, 120 participants from more than 30 countries and organisations gathered online to focus on the return and reintegration of migrants, with a particular emphasis on recent research findings from Pakistan and Iraq. The webinar took place under the auspices of the BP Thematic Working Group on Return and Reintegration, co-chaired by Türkiye and Bangladesh.
The webinar was a deep dive into some of the latest research on returnees conducted by ICMPD and partners in Pakistan and Iraq (PARIM I, PARIM II, and MIRAMI projects through the MRCs). Research is an important pillar of the Budapest Process dialogue as it is a pillar which supports the dialogue leading to action and cooperation on the ground, specifically in the Silk Routes Region. More importantly, recent research recommendations can help rework and update the Budapest Process Roadmap on Return and Reintegration, a living document endorsed in 2023 with action points and initiatives to be implemented in the area of return and reintegration in Bangladesh, Iraq and Pakistan.
The presentations enriched all BP participants’ knowledge and focused specifically on the work of the Migrant Resource Centres, conceptualised back in 2015 in BP meetings, and specifically how most centres have expanded into providing services in the area of return and reintegration. Crucially, the research findings and recommendations for the studies in Pakistan and Iraq highlighted the importance of returnees as sources of information for potential and intending migrants. The MRCs themselves can be further utilised as a platform for up to date information sharing and awareness raising on the options for reintegration and the risks of irregular migration to intending migrants as well as to government stakeholders and to other platforms active in the area of return and reintegration.
Overall, the meeting underscored the vital role of research in supporting the Budapest Process’s dialogue. Evidence-based policies and legal frameworks enable informed decision-making, essential for effective migration management.
To this end, the Working Group Co-Chairs committed to update the Roadmap on Return and Reintegration in light of the findings and in response to evolving needs. The next Thematic Working Group meeting, planned for 2025, will focus on these updates and further explore how the presented research findings can enhance return and reintegration policies of BP partner countries. Additionally, insights from the research and best practices from other ICMPD projects will be used to inform the new Ministerial Declaration and action plan, to be adopted in November 2024.
The study from Iraq is accessible here: Engaging Return Migrants in Information Campaigns in Iraq Challenges, Reintegration, and Prospects
The study from Pakistan is accessible here: Voices of Return: Leveraging the Influence of Returnees in Migration Information Campaigns
Information on the work of the MRCs’ is accessible here: Migrant Resource Centres (MRC) (migrantresources.org)
The BP Roadmap on Return and Reintegration is accessible here: Budapest Process Roadmap on Return and Reintegration – Budapest Process
