International Organization for Migration
Background
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. While not part of the United Nations system, IOM maintains close working relations with United Nations bodies and operational agencies, as well as with a wide range of international and non-governmental organizations. In addition, IOM is the designated cluster leader for camp management in humanitarian settings for natural disasters. Through its gender equality policy adopted in 2015, IOM is committed to ensuring that a gender perspective is mainstreamed throughout all IOM policies, activities and programming.
Policy framework
IOM's approach to addressing GBV is guided by the principles set out in IOM’s Institutional Framework for Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Crises (2018, “GBV in crisis framework”). Furthermore, in 2024 IOM launched a new Gender Equality Policy (having been adopted in late 2023). The IOM Gender Equality Policy 2024 emphasizes a “whole of organisation” approach, highlighting the importance of integrating gender considerations into all areas of IOM's work. This policy builds on previous progress and embodies an evidence and results-based approach that contributes to achieving institutional commitments on gender equality. The policy includes a focus on programmatic results from gender mainstreaming and targeted interventions including to address GBV, as well as enabling factors such as funding allocation, capacity requirements and achieving gender parity.
Areas of Focus
IOM primarily focuses on the three pillars of the GBV in crisis framework: mitigating risks, supporting survivors and addressing the root causes. However, IOM also works on human trafficking, predominately affecting women survivors. Furthermore, IOM’s approach includes ensuring that actions are taken to mainstream GBV across all IOM programmes, promoting safe and ethical GBV-related data collection, and strengthening engagement with women-led and women’s rights organizations to address GBV and promote gender equality.
Resources
IOM (2020). Displacement Tracking Matrix for GBV.
IOM (2024). Intersectional Gender Analysis Toolkit.
IOM (2024). Gender Equality Policy.
In 2024, IOM continued to pursue key milestones set against commitments made under the Global Call to Action on Protection against GBV in Emergencies 2021-2025 Roadmap. The following milestones were met in 2024:
View MoreIn 2024, IOM continued to pursue key milestones set against commitments made under the Global Call to Action on Protection against GBV in Emergencies 2021-2025 Roadmap. The following milestones were met in 2024:
- A substantial increase of 45% in the number of countries worldwide implementing measures to mitigate gender-based violence (GBV), totaling 58 countries across various regions. These interventions included activities such as structural adaptations, consultations with women and girls, safety audits, and handling GBV disclosure trainings.
- More than eight country missions affected by crisis reported engagement in GBV specialized activities aimed at providing GBV survivors, including survivors of conflicted affected Sexual violence, with timely and vital GBV services that supported their well-being, recovery, and resilience.
IOM provides opportunities for access to financing for organizations and associations that address GBV, including through IOM’s managed Rapid Response Fund (RRF) in humanitarian contexts. Through the RRF, IOM has provided grants to women-led organizations (WLOs) during the onset of newly emerging crises, enabling the delivery of GBV response services in some of the most remote locations. IOM's Director General has committed to scaling up such mechanisms to break down barriers and ensure that WLOs have timely access to funding. IOM has institutionalized many interagency recommendations, including systems to ensure funding can be allocated directly to women-led organizations and local actors. By lifting preexisting administrative barriers, funding provided to one women-led entity in an emergency setting enabled them to co-chair the national GBV coordination mechanism, lead the national strategy, and move beyond consultation to steering priority setting.
IOM is supporting the development of Interagency GBV Minimum Standards.
Many of IOM’s overseas pre-departure cultural orientation programmes specifically address domestic violence, female genital mutilation and other such practices that are both harmful to women and against the prevailing rule of law. IOM is working on improving the way this is reflected in curriculum and key priority messages, in training manuals and in supporting activities. IOM is also exploring how to best adopt more effective learning methodologies in order for participants to understand the underlying reasons why these practices are illegal and may have serious consequences, including the removal of children from families by child protective services.