Bulawayo – IOM, the UN Migration Agency in collaboration with the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO) facilitated a two-day capacity building training on migration management for civil society organizations in Zimbabwe. The purpose of the workshop was to   strengthen civil society’s capacity to engage with government and advocate for migrants’ rights.  The capacity building training workshop which took place from 6-7 February 2020 brought together 52 members from 21 civil society organizations representing different programming sectors which include governance and human rights, youth, women, children, disability, environment and climate change sectors

In his remarks, the Executive Director of NANGO, Mr. Leonard Mandishara noted that strengthened institutional capacities of CSOs will enhance their advocacy on migration management. “We envisage that through this capacity building process, CSOs will be better equipped to engage Government on issues related to migration in Zimbabwe and also raise awareness and respond to migrants needs in their communities.”

Mr. Mandishara added that an engagement  platform between Government and CSOs  on migration management is key  in addressing  challenges  related to migration in Zimbabwe., “This workshop presents an opportunity for CSOs to come up with a clear advocacy plan to lobby Government on identified  gaps  in migration management which stand in the way of promoting migrants’ rights.

Speaking during the training workshop Mrs Nyunyutai Mudzigwa from the Disability Association of Zimbabwe said, “Civil Society Organizations represent the most disadvantaged groups in society and require proper advocacy skills for them to make meaningful engagements with government and push for   protection of migrant rights through improved legislation.”

In pursuit of the goal of enhancing strengthened institutional capacity for migration management, and improved State and None State dialogue and engagement on migration management in Zimbabwe, IOM seeks to improve knowledge on migration among Civil Society organizations to enable them to make informed advocacy on key issues with the Government.  Strengthened institutional capacity will ensure the adoption of coherent and gender sensitive policy and legislative framework for a comprehensive approach to migration.

 The CSO capacity building workshop was supported through the Promoting Migration Governance in Zimbabwe (PMGZ) project, funded by the European Union under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The PMGZ project seeks to contribute to the establishment of a migration governance framework in Zimbabwe that supports State actors to manage migration in dialogue with non-state actors and in a migrant centred, gender sensitive, rights based and development-oriented   manner.

For more information please contact Varaidzo Mudombi at IOM Zimbabwe telephone +263242704285 email: vmudombi@iom.int