Swiss Confederation and IOM support Ivano-Frankivsk region residents in community development and protection from migration-related threats
25 June 2013
On June 20th 2013, in the village of Chesnyky (Ivano-Frankivsk region) a friendly football match between rural communities and a team of international organizations and Ukrainian authorities took place on the football pitch laid with the support of the Swiss Confederation and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Communities won with the score of 1:0.
The Ivano-Frankivsk oblast is one of four Ukrainian regions where the project “Preventing Human Trafficking through Social Work and Community Mobilization” has been implemented since 2009. The project is funded by the Swiss Confederation and implemented by IOM in partnership with the NGOs Child Well-Being Fund of Ukraine and the Western Ukrainian Resource Centre. Project participants in the Ivano-Frankivsk region are more than 20 schools, two boarding schools, four vocational schools and seven communities (in Rohatyn, Kolomya, Halych, Bohorodchany and Horodenka districts).
>>More
Ukrainian labour migrants’ legal protection should be fostered
28 May 2013
The Verkhovna Rada Legislation Institute and the International Organization for Migration, Mission in Ukraine co-organized a roundtable titled “Challenges in Legal Protection of Ukrainian Labour Migrants in Europe”. Members of the Parliament, experts on international law, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Social Policy, as well as high-level diplomats from the Polish and Czech Embassies, discussed ways to better address the needs of Ukrainians working abroad in order to ensure adequate protect of their rights.
>>More
Engaging Ukrainian Diaspora in Development
23 May 2013
Representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora, Government, Parliament, and migration experts gathered today in Kyiv to discuss challenges faced by Ukrainians abroad and to explore their potential to contribute to Ukraine's development at local, regional and national levels. The conference was organized in the framework of the European Union – funded Project “Effective Governance of Labour Migration and Its Skills Dimensions”. The project is implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
“Depending on definitions, the size of the Ukrainian diaspora is estimated between 12 and 20 million, with the biggest communities residing in the Russian Federation, Canada, and the United States. A substantial number of Ukrainians also reside in the EU countries,” IOM Ukraine’s Chief of Mission Manfred Profazi informed. According to Mr. Profazi, the overall development potential of diasporas can reach significant levels, not only promoting investment and better use of remittances, but also supporting circulation of skills, knowledge and new technology, exchange of experiences, building institutional partnerships. “Harnessing the potential of its diaspora’s human, financial and social capital is what IOM would like to assist the Ukrainian Government with,” IOM Ukraine’s Chief of Mission stated.
>>More
EU and IOM support smoother traffic flows and more effective customs control at Ukraine – Belarus border
15 May 2013
In May 2013, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) started the implementation of a regional, €3.7 million EU-funded project titled “Support to the Creation of an Electronic System of Pre-arrival Information Exchange between the Customs Authorities of Belarus and Ukraine (PRINEX)”.
This 2.5-year project consists of two major components: i) capacity building activities (study visits, trainings and workshops) and ii) development of a reliable and secure pre-arrival information exchange system between the customs bodies of Belarus and Ukraine. The project is implemented in close partnership with the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus (SCCRB) and the Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine (MRDU) within the framework of the EU Eastern Partnership’s Integrated Border Management Flagship Initiative (EaP IBM).
>>More
Diaspora Conference Announcement
On 23 May 2013, the IOM Mission in Ukraine will organize a conference “Ukraine and Ukrainians Worldwide: Building Effective Partnerships for Development”. The event will bring together representatives of Ukrainian diaspora networks, national Government and Parliament, and migration experts to discuss perspectives as well as challenges and obstacles in engaging the Ukrainian diaspora in development agendas of Ukraine and host countries. The conference will be organized within the EU-funded project “Effective Governance of Labour Migration and Its Skills Dimensions”, implemented by the International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration.
>>More
EU and IOM help Ukraine to implement visa liberalization action plan
21 March 2013
The EU and International Organization for Migration (IOM) will enhance migration management in Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. With a €2.4 million total budget, the MIGRECO project (Strengthening Migration Management and Cooperation on Readmission in Eastern Europe) supports Ukraine to carry out the visa liberalization action plan with the EU in the next two years.
“IOM continues assisting the Ukrainian Government to develop a comprehensive migration management system in line with EU best practices, which will support Ukraine’s efforts in progressing in the visa-free dialogue with the EU,” states IOM Ukraine’s Chief of Mission Manfred Profazi.
>>More