Practices by Stakeholder 1

Relocation of migrants

Relocation of migrants within the host State may be appropriate when conditions elsewhere are safe and likely to remain so. This option is more likely in cases of natural disasters than in conflicts when violence may spread to other areas. Relocation may be for short or protracted periods. In some cases, migrants may be relocated to areas that have been affected by natural disasters to assist with reconstruction. Stakeholders can consider:

• Determining criteria and eligibility for relocation within the host State, for evacuation, or to remaining in place;
• Assessing the safety and security of potential relocation sites, with particular regard to the reception of migrants in those locations;
• Identifying shelter for migrants in relocation sites;
• Providing food, drinking water, and other necessities until migrants are settled;
• Identifying employment opportunities if the relocation is likely to be protracted;
• Linking migrants to health services, psychosocial assistance, and other needed services in relocation sites;
• Helping families to enroll children in schools if the relocation is likely to be protracted;
• Creating facilities for communicating with family members;
• Identifying particularly vulnerable migrants who may need special care during relocations, such as victims of violence, disabled migrants, elderly migrants, child migrants, including unaccompanied or separated children, and victims of trafficking or exploitation.

Evacuation of migrants to States of transit or to States of origin

Evacuation is generally a last resort, but it is absolutely essential if migrants cannot remain safely where they are or cannot be relocated safely to another part of the host State. Aspects that stakeholders should consider in implementing evacuation operations (some of which are described in more detail below) include:

• Criteria for determining persons eligible for evacuation;
• Arrangements to evacuate migrants to holding centers or outposts in unaffected parts of the host State or to a State of transit as a midway point before subsequent evacuation to the State of origin;
• Communication channels to inform migrants about circumstances under which evacuation will be made available, evacuation points, and procedures;
• Obtaining the informed consent of the migrants to be evacuated;
• Respect for the principle of non-refoulement;
• Negotiations with host States or armed non-State actors controlling territory (e.g., to secure exit permits for safe passage out of the host State);
• Negotiations with States of transit to secure transit visas (e.g., to secure safe passage through their territory);
• Cooperation with other stakeholders;
• Measures that facilitate evacuation of whole families and avoid separating families, including if family members have different nationalities;
• Pre- and post-evacuation support;
• Measures to secure funds to carry out evacuations;
• Identification of particularly vulnerable migrants who may need special care during evacuations, such as victims of violence, disabled migrants, elderly migrants, child migrants, including unaccompanied or separated children, and victims of trafficking or exploitation;
• Compiling a directory of persons being evacuated with information on evacuation centers to enable family members to get in touch with each other in case they are separated.

Steps for undertaking an evacuation operation could include:

• Reaching out to migrants to provide information on evacuation operations and identifying those requiring evacuation;
• Appointing a body authorized to make decisions, manage, and oversee evacuation operations;
• Deploying technical teams comprising personnel with pertinent skills, including processing teams, liaison officers, movement officers, health specialists, and translators and interpreters;
• Gathering migrants at evacuations points, including providing transport;
• Issuing emergency documentation for migrants without necessary documentation;
• Providing humanitarian relief and assistance prior to evacuation, such as distribution of blankets, food, drinking water, medical supplies, and medicines;
• Registering evacuees and preparing travel manifests;
• Upon arrival in States of origin, providing immediate basic services, such as shelter, transport, and health care, including psychosocial counseling.

Multi-stakeholder coordination on evacuation

Coordination among States or between States and other stakeholders in carrying out evacuations can ensure effective use of resources, especially because transportation or other services relating to evacuations may be in high demand. If not established before the crisis hits, factors to consider in establishing ad hoc arrangements to cooperate on evacuations include:

• Criteria for determining persons eligible for evacuation;
• Roles and responsibilities of each partner, with clear designation of who will perform each task, where, when, and how the task will be performed, and how progress will be reported to others;
• Reporting and tracking tools, including web-based tools, to ensure partners have real time information on location of migrants and status of evacuation;Direction on how to deal with difficult cases (e.g., if family members have different nationalities);
• Modes of evacuation;
• Common standards for transport and interim services to evacuees.

Measures to facilitate evacuation of refugees and asylum seekers

When undertaking evacuations, stakeholders should bear in mind that any evacuation of refugees and asylum seekers needs to be carried out in accordance with the principle of non-refoulement, including by ensuring that refugees and asylum seekers are not evacuated to their country of origin, or to a third country, if they would be subject to persecution there.

Post-evacuation support in States of transit, including shelter, food, and medical assistance

Support to evacuated migrants may be required if migrants stay in the State of transit to await onward movement to the State of origin or re-entry to the host State. Post-evacuation support that stakeholders involved in the evacuation can provide includes:

• Temporary shelter;
• Food, drinking water, and other basic necessities;
• Medical and psychosocial assistance;
• Facilities for communicating with family members.