Current Research Projects

1. Short-term Expert(s) on Migration Legislation Research, Diaspora Engagement ENIGMMA,2021

UNU-MERIT has been commissioned by ICMPD to conduct an analysis on the legal framework and practice of the Law of Georgia on Compatriots Residing Abroad and Diaspora Organisations reflecting on the best international practices. The objective is to identify, review and research national legislative framework and practices with regard to diaspora in four different countries as case study examples. Specifically, the analysis aims to provide four country examples of diaspora engagement, legislative framework in terms of approaching their diaspora and migrant communities abroad, if/when possible respective Laws and by-laws, policy documents and National Diaspora Strategies. The experts provide suggestions to the “Law of Georgia on Compatriots Residing Abroad and Diaspora Organisations including concise recommendations and possible amendments to the Law. The project is led by Ms. Eleni Diker and Dr Nora Ragab.

2. Legal obligations and national legislation and practices around migrant recruitment, 2021

UNU-MERIT has been commissioned again, building on past work, to support International Trade Union Confederation ITUC to develop content for ITUC’s migrant recruitment monitor. As the website extends its focus to the EU, the team conducts research on recruitment processes in eight EU countries (Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania) assessing the extent to which national legislation is aligned with relevant international legal obligations and assessing common challenges encountered in the recruitment process. The results are used to populate the recruitment monitor website and prepare a comparative research report. The expected outputs of the project are to develop a Content for the ITUC Recruitment Monitor Website in the eight EU countries and to deliver a comparative report reviewing experiences. The project is led by Dr Elaine Lebon-McGregor.

3. Comprehensive Migration Policy for the GoIRA, Expert for development of Action Plan, project Improving Migration Management in the Silk Routes Countries, 2021

The aim of this project is to maximize the development potential of migration and mobility within the Silk Routes region and towards major labour receiving countries as well as to establish comprehensive regional responses to migration and mobility with full respect of human rights and protection of migrants. Against this background, under the Component 2 – Silk Routes Facility, the Project supported the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) and its Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) in the domain of migration management with a specific focus on the development of a Comprehensive Migration Policy (CMP), through provision of expert support. The developed policy (CMP) was elaborated in consultations with all relevant government stakeholders working in the area of migration and beyond, as well as with wider society, at all levels. It provides an all-inclusive migration framework with defined goals and objectives, address the current challenges vis-à-vis mixed migration flows, and provide concrete policy responses addressing these challenges. The policy breaks down into four priority areas: (a) ensuring safe returns through reintegration and resettlement, (b) regular migration, (c) irregular migration, and (d) migration and development. The outputs of the projects are to facilitate and moderate the action planning workshop as per defined priority area, to develop the actions focusing on implementation of the policy responses to the Priority Area 4: Migration and Development and to support the development of the Action Plan in the area of Return and Reintegration. The project is led by Prof. Dr. Melissa Siegel.

4. Mid-Term Review of the Safer Migration Project, Phase III, 2021

UNU-MERIT and a national consultant Sharu Joshi are part of a consortium led by Maastricht University in this project which aims to contribute to a better protection of migrants. The Safer Migration (SaMi) Project phase III (September 2018 – July 2022) is a bilateral initiative of the Governments of Nepal and Switzerland. The project responds to the challenges faced by Nepalese who go for foreign employment, mainly to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Malaysia. The overall goal of the SaMi project is stated as: “Migrants & their families are better protected by concerned Nepali institutions and benefit from decent work conditions abroad”. UNU-MERIT and a national consultant based in Nepal are conducting a Mid-Term Review of the project to assess the achievements made by the SaMi project so far during the third phase. This is done against the background of the new federal structure in Nepal, new implementation modalities of the project, and the new emerging needs and challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A special focus is put on the project design, institutional setup and processes, the achievements made so far, and the sustainability of the project beyond the current phase. The project is led by Dr Elaine Lebon-McGregor and Dr Katrin Marchand.

5. Development of the Toolkit in Diaspora Mapping, 2020 –2021

UNU-MERIT has been commissioned by IOM, to support the development of a diaspora mapping toolkit. The aim is to strengthen capacities of national governments, research institutions, and IOM field missions to conduct high quality, cost-efficient, effective, and comparable diaspora mapping studies and to use mapping methodologies that are attuned to the specific objectives/needs of the governments, for example skills resources, remittances, return potential, investment, and philanthropy. The output of this project is the Toolkit on Diaspora Mapping and the components of this toolkit include: Technical reports on Relevant Research Tools and Methods within IOM and Beyond, Step by step How-To Guide for Diaspora Mapping, a Guidance on Method Specific Tools for Diaspora Mapping and a comprehensive diaspora mapping survey. The project is led by Dr Michaella Vanore, Dr Nora Ragab, and Dr Katrin Marchand.

6. Beyond recovery: A post-COVID-19 Socio-Economic Response for Migrants and their Communities of Origin, Transit and Destination, 2020 –2021

The aim of this project is to write a paper that assesses the policy responses of national and local governments and at the international level to address the socio-economic consequences of COVID-19 on migrants and their communities in countries of origin, transit, and destination. More specifically, this paper looks at the impacts, socio-economic policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and at socio-economic (re)integration beyond recovery in turn. Particular focus is placed on rights-based and gender-sensitive policy recommendations looking at both recovery but also longer-term development plans. The paper is developed in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Network on Migration. The main output of this project is a UN Network on Migration Discussion Paper. The project is led by Dr Katrin Marchand.

7. Comparative Reintegration Outcomes in Forced and Voluntary Returns” and “Understanding and Implementing Gender- sensitive Sustainable Reintegration”, 2020-2021

UNU-MERIT has been commissioned by IOM to conduct studies titled “Comparative Reintegration Outcomes in Forced and Voluntary Returns” and “Understanding and implementing gender-sensitive sustainable reintegration” under the EU-IOM Knowledge Management Hub funded by the EU. The first study on “Comparative reintegration outcomes of forced and voluntary returns” will focus on comparing the reintegration outcomes between forced and voluntary returnees who equally benefited from the reintegration support provided through the EU-IOM Actions and other programmes, to determine how the modality of return (forced versus voluntary) influences the reintegration sustainability outcomes. This research will be undertaken in conjunction with another study on “Understanding and implementing gender-sensitive sustainable reintegration”. This study will aim to better understand the gendered dimensions of the reintegration experience as well as identify good practices for gender-sensitivity in reintegration programming. The outcome of this study will inform the design, implementation and evaluation of reintegration support programmes for male and female returnees as well as feed into recommendations for gender-sensitive return and reintegration policy and advocacy. The project is led by Dr. Sonja Fransen.

8. Networks-led national Diaspora dialogue in Europe, 2020–2021

UNU-MERIT is commissioned by the Danish Refugee Council’s Diaspora Programme to provide support within their “Networks-led national Diaspora dialogue in Europe” project. The aim of the project is to promote Syrian civil society and diaspora as constructive stakeholders for the future of Syria and in their countries of residence. This is done by empowering Syrian networks in Europe to start national dialogues for Syrians in the diaspora on their role in their host country and towards Syria. UNU-MERIT will provide technical support to the networks, while also using the opportunity to document and analyse the country dialogues events, with the aim to generate lessons learned, successful practices, and recommendations to empower Syrian civil society organisations in their constructive engagement towards Syria and the host countries. The research component is led by Eleni Diker and Dr Nora Jasmin Ragab.

9. Evaluation of Infomigrants.net migration platform, 2020–2021

UNU-MERIT is commissioned by France Media Monde to carry out a monitoring and evaluation of the multimedia platform Infomigrants.net. The objective of the platform is to provide relevant, timely and accurate news and information in Arabic, French, English, Dari and Pashto to migrants in countries of origin, transit and destination.  The objective of the project is to monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of the platform through media content analysis, focus groups and interviews with migrants in three countries: Egypt, France, and the Netherlands. The project is led by Dr. Katrin Marchand and Dr Lisa Andersson.

10. H2020: Advancing Alternative Migration Governance (ADMIGOV), 2019–2023

UNU-MERIT is part of a consortium led by the University of Amsterdam in this project which investigates the conformity of European migration policy in practice with the basic principles of the United Nations. ADMIGOV analyses the current gap between the basic principles of migration policy on the one hand and its practice on the other including entering and exiting the EU, and innovative solutions for temporary and circular migration. ADMIGOV aims to promote an alternative migration governance model and takes seriously the principles laid out in the New York Declaration (NYD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to study how alternative approaches to migration governance can be better designed and put into practice. Rather than proposing a top-down study of existing migration policies, ADMIGOV studies the reality of existing policies and practices on the ground to improve migration governance in line with the principles set out in the SDGs. UNU-MERIT participates in three work packages: WP2 on exit wherein Dr Katie Kuschminder is the reintegration lead; WP6 on development wherein Dr Katie Kuschminder is responsible for data collection in Ethiopia; and WP7 on indictors wherein Prof. Dr Melissa Siegel is participating.

11. Connecting Diaspora for Development 2 (CD4D2), 2019–2022

UNU-MERIT is commissioned to conduct the evaluation of the second phase of the project on ‘Connecting Diaspora for Development’ (CD4D) as a follow-up on the first phase of CD4D. The CD4D project is a diaspora return programme operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) The Netherlands which links diaspora members with Dutch residency to institutions in their countries of origin. This is done via assignments conducted in person with organizations in the target countries. During the second phase, short-term assignments will place them with organisations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria and Somalia. The programme will focus on capacity development through knowledge transfer and the creation of connections. This evaluation uses qualitative methods and builds on existing work from the CD4D1 study. The Principal Investigator for this study is Dr Katie Kuschminder, who works with Prof. Dr Melissa Siegel and Charlotte Mueller.

12. Supporting Regular Labour Migration and Mobility Between Northern Africa and Europe (THAMM), 2019–2022

UNU-MERIT is commissioned by GIZ to conduct support research for the project ‘Towards a Holistic Approach to Labour Migration Governance and Labour Mobility in North Africa’ (THAMM). The overall objective of the programme is to foster mutually beneficial legal migration and mobility between Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia on the one hand and Europe, especially Germany, on the other. The research supports the implementation of the project through evaluations of different components of the project and by assessing the development implications of labour migration from the three North African countries to Germany. The expected outputs of the project are to include a final report and six research papers focused on the following topics: employment and income; obtained qualifications, knowledge; use of remittances by family members in the countries of origin; and knowledge transfer between migrants and countries of origin. The project is led by Dr. Katrin Marchand and Dr Lisa Andersson.

13. Connecting Diaspora for Development 2 (CD4D2), 2019–2022

UNU-MERIT is commissioned to conduct the evaluation of the second phase of the project on ‘Connecting Diaspora for Development’ (CD4D) as a follow-up on the first phase of CD4D. The CD4D project is a diaspora return programme operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) The Netherlands which links diaspora members with Dutch residency to institutions in their countries of origin. This is done via assignments conducted in person with organizations in the target countries. During the second phase, short-term assignments will place them with organisations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria and Somalia. The programme will focus on capacity development through knowledge transfer and the creation of connections. This evaluation uses qualitative methods and builds on existing work from the CD4D1 study. The Principal Investigator for this study is Dr Katie Kuschminder, who works with Prof. Dr Melissa Siegel and Charlotte Mueller.

14. Supporting Regular Labour Migration and Mobility Between Northern Africa and Europe (THAMM), 2019–2022

UNU-MERIT is commissioned by GIZ to conduct support research for the project ‘Towards a Holistic Approach to Labour Migration Governance and Labour Mobility in North Africa’ (THAMM). The overall objective of the programme is to foster mutually beneficial legal migration and mobility between Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia on the one hand and Europe, especially Germany, on the other. The research supports the implementation of the project through evaluations of different components of the project and by assessing the development implications of labour migration from the three North African countries to Germany. The expected outputs of the project are to include a final report and six research papers focused on the following topics: employment and income; obtained qualifications, knowledge; use of remittances by family members in the countries of origin; and knowledge transfer between migrants and countries of origin. The project is led by Dr. Katrin Marchand and Dr Lisa Andersson.

15. Gendering Migration: Women and Girls Experiences of Gender-based discrimination, abuse and violence across migratory stages (WUN), 2019–2021

The aim of this project is to bring together an interdisciplinary global platform to advance research and approaches to women’s migration flows, patterns, experiences, agency and vulnerabilities. This project brings forth recent research findings regarding experiences of women and girls in their migration, and how women and girls exercise agency and respond to human rights abuses, thereby moving beyond a victimization approach. The network includes scholars from multiple disciplines (migration, psychology, sociology) that seek to work collaboratively with UN organizations and NGOs to improve data collection on women’s migration and the representation of vulnerable women in migration research. This team will build throughout its mandate on existing research in Taiwan with female marriage migrants, in South Africa with women labour migrants, in Australia with resettled refugees, in Mexico/Central America with migrants and route to the United States, and in Europe with female asylum seekers and irregular migrants. All these flows address underrepresented and researched female migration experiences and patterns. The network is led by Dr Katie Kuschminder.

16. H2020: Aligning Migration Management & the Migration-Development Nexus (MIGNEX), 2018–2023

UNU-MERIT and MACIMIDE are part of a consortium led by Prof. Jørgen Carling at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) which is carrying out what is likely the largest-ever European-funded research project on migration. The ‘Aligning Migration Management and the Migration-Development Nexus’ (MIGNEX) project is taking place over the course of five years. It aims at forging new connections between two policy fields: how migration is regulated, and how migration and development affect each other. The responsibilities of UNU-MERIT and MACIMIDE include developing new methods for measuring the development impacts of migration, assessing coherence between the legal framework and policy instruments, and evaluation of the overall European approach to third-country cooperation on migration. Prof. Dr Melissa Siegel is leading on behalf of UNU-MERIT and Prof. Hildegard Schneider on behalf of MACIMIDE.

17. H2020: Aligning Migration Management & the Migration-Development Nexus (MIGNEX), 2018–2023

UNU-MERIT and MACIMIDE are part of a consortium led by Prof. Jørgen Carling at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) which is carrying out what is likely the largest-ever European-funded research project on migration. The ‘Aligning Migration Management and the Migration-Development Nexus’ (MIGNEX) project is taking place over the course of five years. It aims at forging new connections between two policy fields: how migration is regulated, and how migration and development affect each other. The responsibilities of UNU-MERIT and MACIMIDE include developing new methods for measuring the development impacts of migration, assessing coherence between the legal framework and policy instruments, and evaluation of the overall European approach to third-country cooperation on migration. Prof. Dr Melissa Siegel is leading on behalf of UNU-MERIT and Prof. Hildegard Schneider on behalf of MACIMIDE.

18. NORFACE: Migration, Transformation and Sustainability (MISTY), 2018–2021

The aim of MISTY is to deliver theoretical advances, novel methodological approaches and significant social impacts concerning the role of migration in transformations to sustainability. The main objectives of MISTY are to expand knowledge of transformations by incorporating migration dynamics, specifically: the impact of aggregate flows of people on sustainability; the consequences of individual level life course dimensions of mobility and sustainability; the governance of migration and its consequences for sustainability. The project will develop new theoretical understanding of the interaction between migration and sustainability trajectories and will generate findings that will inform policy and practice in a wide range of government and non-government domains at different scales. The project is led by Dr. Sonja Fransen.

19. Short-term expert in developing a policy on engagement with Iraqis abroad under the project “Improving Migration Management in the Silk Routes Countries”, 2018-2021

UNU-MERIT was part of a consortium led by ICMPD (other experts we involved in early phases of the policy development process). This project was a part of ongoing support to governments of the so-called “Silk Routes” countries (i.e., Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan). ICMPD provided technical assistance to the government of Iraq in the development of a policy on engagement with Iraqis abroad. UNU-MERIT acted as short-term experts in developing this policy, which entailed conducting background information on the Iraqi diaspora, supporting consultation sessions with the government, and drafting an engagement policy that responded to the needs and interests of Iraqis abroad.  The project resulted in a draft “Policy on Engagement with Iraqis Abroad”, which as of October 2020 was accepted by the Ministry of Migration and Displacement for further specification in a policy action plan. This project led by Dr. Michaella Vanore.