Stakeholders

States. In times of crises, the principal responsibility for assisting and protecting migrants rests with States. Both countries of origin and of destination, as well as countries of transit, have important roles to play in addressing the protection and assistance of migrants. These responsibilities can range from arranging pre-departure training for migrants, incorporating migrant populations into contingency planning and disaster response, facilitating effective evacuation, transit, and repatriation, as well as planning for the resettlement, reintegration, or redeployment of migrants following a crisis.

Regional institutions and cooperation mechanisms. Intergovernmental fora, including Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Consultative Processes on Migration (RCPs) may have a role in supporting States to develop effective responses. These responses can include addressing visa status issues and the coordination of consular action. In particular, regional processes for cooperation and political or economic integration may have established regional visa-free movement regimes or consular agreements to facilitate access to consulates of participating States.

International organizations and coordination mechanisms. When governments do not have the capacity to assist and protect migrants in countries in crisis, States may need to call upon the assistance and support of the international community. This international support is delivered through organizations with mandates and experience in this field, most notably IOM, UNHCR, and ICRC/IFRC and the existing humanitarian assistance framework, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). International organizations also play an important capacity building role to help States and other actors prepare for and respond to situations in which migrants are caught in crisis. 

Private sector actors. Employers, recruitment agencies, and other private sector actors are often centrally involved in the deployment of workers and employees for overseas assignments, or in employing migrants within host countries. However, their responsibilities towards a migrant in the context of a crisis are often not clearly articulated in law or in contracts. Other private sector actors, such as airline and shipping companies, mobile phone services and insurance providers play important roles, for example, in the evacuation of migrants from countries in crisis.

Civil society. International, regional, national, and local nongovernmental organizations often play a crucial role in assisting migrants in countries in crisis.  Civil society actors work closely with migrant communities before a crisis, are involved in humanitarian operations in the context of both natural disasters and conflicts, and also have a crucial role to play in post-crisis recovery.

Migrants and members of the diaspora. Those with the greatest stake, and likely to be the first responders in crises, are the affected migrants themselves, and their family members whether at home or abroad.  It is important to take into account the perspectives of migrant communities and empower migrants in the crisis affected area to assist and help themselves.