Support to Free Movement of persons and Migration in West Africa, Phase II (FMM West Africa II)

Funded by the European Union (EU), in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission, the project “Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa – Phase II (FMM West Africa II)” in implemented by the consortium of Partners – composed of IOM, ICMPD and ILO.

The Phase II of the FMM West Africa II project is a continuation of Phase I and thus it builds on and consolidates past results by strengthening stakeholder ownership and replicating or scaling up promising practices and lessons learnt in supporting the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Free Movement of Persons’ Protocols and the ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration.

The FMM Project intervenes in the areas of labour migration, migration policy development, migration data collection and management, border management, counter-trafficking of human beings, mixed migration, diaspora engagement, and human mobility in the context of climate change, protection of migrants’ rights, child protection and child labour especially children on the move and social security.

Background information

The ILO is the U.N. specialized agency responsible for enhancing governance of the world of work. Its mandate includes the protection of migrant workers, drafting and promoting International Labour Standards, promoting employment, extending social protection and social security, and facilitating social dialogue in the world of work.

In line with its mandate, within the framework of the FMM II Project, the ILO intervenes in the areas of labour migration, policy development, migration data collection and management, counter-trafficking of human beings, human mobility in the context of climate change, protection of migrants’ rights, child protection and child labour especially children on the move and social security.

ILO supports the ECOWAS Commission and Mauritania in implementing its policies (e.g., such as the Free Movement of Persons’ Protocols, the Labour and Employment Policy and Action Plan adopted in 2009, and the Common Approach on migration) and builds capacities in the area of labour migration counter-trafficking of human beings, human mobility in the context of climate change, protection of migrants’ rights, child protection and child labour especially children on the move and social security.

ILO areas of work

Through the project, the ILO works to:    

• Promote regional dialogue on labour migration within the framework of the Regional Tripartite Social Dialogue Forum and within the regional dialogue on free movement and migration (Migration Dialogue for West Africa, MDWA). An important focus is on building capacity and mobilizing engagement of the economic actors – social partners- in the implementation of free movement and its accompanying measures;
• Improve labour market and migration information systems (LMMIS) and the coordination of the public employment services database for ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania. The availability of reliable information on the labour market is a prerequisite for effective free circulation;
• Extend access to and coverage by social security for migrant workers, and the portability of social security entitlements. The ECOWAS General Convention on Social Security is a major step towards better coordination of national social security schemes in the region. Its full implementation coordination and cooperation needs to be enhanced in order to extend social security to migrant workers and their families in ECOWAS Member States;
• Strengthen institutional capacity to combat trafficking of human beings and the root causes of child labour, especially children on the move. ILO supports capacity building of ECOWAS staff, ECOWAS member states and Mauritania. ILO also supports the development of legislative frameworks, law enforcement mechanisms. Specific attention is being given to the mainstreaming of international standards into existing regional policy framework and the development of further regional policies and guidelines for combating trafficking in persons in West Africa;
• Strengthen evidence-based understanding of environmental migration in West Africa to support policy development and knowledge sharing. ILO supports capacity building of ECOWAS staff, ECOWAS member states and Mauritania on just transition tools and the nexus with migration. ILO also supports the ECOWAS Commission, its Member States and Mauritania on mainstreaming nature-based solutions, green jobs and create livelihood opportunities climate affected and migration-prone areas within the governance framework addressing the nexus between migration, climate change and labour markets (piloting programmes).