Banjul - IOM, the UN Migration Agency, organized a three-day training from 13th to 15th March 2018 to strengthen the protection capacity of Gambian officials. In total, 30 officials from the Gambia Immigration Department, the Police and the Department of Social Welfare gathered to learn how to identify, screen and respond to cases of vulnerable migrants. 

The workshop was the first of a series of trainings organized under the project “Protection of Vulnerable Migrants” funded by the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). The project aims at reinforcing the capacity of frontline officials to identify vulnerable migrants in need of protection, safeguard their rights and provide them with assistance via referral to relevant stakeholders in line with international standards and thereby reducing the risk of further harm.

“This is the first time I’ve attended a training like this. It is important for me because it’s building my ability to accomplish my duties well as an immigration officer at the border. My goal is to go back and, from what I have learnt from the training, do my duties effectively.” said Abdoulie Marong, an immigration officer in Amdallai, a town in Western Gambia, who participated in the training.

During the first day of the training, participants were introduced to IOM’s activities, as well as the international, regional, and national legal framework of protection of vulnerable migrants. On the second day, they were presented with the context of child migration in the Gambia and in West Africa. The participants were also equipped with the guiding principles of protection for children on the move, and taught interview techniques used to identify and screen vulnerable child migrants.
The workshop ended with case study exercises, a session from a trained counsellor on interview techniques and providing assistance to vulnerable migrants and a plenary on combatting trafficking in persons in the Gambia. 

“I have learnt a lot. I didn’t even know about the categories of vulnerable migrants. The things I have learnt here, I will share with my colleagues and apply to my job” said Mariama Kanyi, a police officer from Tujering in Western Gambia, at the end of the training.

The participants reiterated the importance of protecting the rights of migrants and committed to share the acquired knowledge and make use of what they learnt at the workshop in their daily interaction with migrants. 

***

For more information, please contact Marianna Bertelle, at IOM The Gambia; Tel: +2202169647, Email: mbertelle@iom.int