Ombudsman enhances bilateral cooperation with IOM

The Commissioner received the Chief of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission to Azerbaijan Mr. Vladimir Gjorgjiev.

The parties outlined a range of views of future collaboration in terms of protection of the rights of migrants, including illegal migrants as well as directions in the frame of Azerbaijan’s Strategy for Managing International Migration for 2019-2023, National Migration Strategy of Azerbaijan for 2019-2024, also the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration to be implemented in future.

Discussions have been taken place also on these and other topics related to current situation of migrants at global and national contexts, new dynamics of recent migration flows, legislative framework, which includes as well Azerbaijan Migration Code that is the first document in the whole Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and its effective implementation, issues of re-admission, repatriation, application of innovative machinery to protect this category of people from potential risks of exploitation and violence. 

In the course of the meeting, the Commissioner also gave broad information about her activity in protection of migrants’ rights, including monitoring in capacity of the NHRI and national preventive mechanism, work of the appointed special adviser on refugees’, IDPs and migrants’ issues. She continued the ongoing discussion about new national strategies and approaches related to effective regulation of migration processes.  

Mr. V. Gjorgjiyev, who in turn, spoke about recent IOM projects, carried out in Azerbaijan, which focused on providing law firms in regions with free legal consultation relevant to the concerned issue. In relation to legal awareness, he pointed out the project implemented in subways through educational leaflets as they aimed at raising awareness of more people about human trafficking affected also migrants and other vulnerable persons.

At the meeting, the Commissioner proposed inter alia, advancing the collaboration to the tripartite level among Ombudsman, State Migration Service and IOM country office, by involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs), organization of joint capacity building seminars for the Ombudsman’s staff, state bodies, NGOs, communities and migrants themselves, in urban, rural areas and border checkpoints.

Furthermore, E. Suleymanova recommended conducting joint surveys, analyzing national and international legislation to identify the relevant shortages existed, preparing educational materials on the migration processes for the staff of the relevant facilities, aliens and stateless persons and holding joint events for them.  

It was also considered important to take socially oriented measures for creating favorable conditions in detention places for illegal migrants, including improving conditions for medical care, quality of nutrition, to increase the number of shelters, to provide migrants with legal advice free of charge and to prepare specialized modules promoting cultural and national values.  

At the end of the meeting, V.Gjorgjiyev thanked the Commissioner for such a fruitful exchange of views and recommendations. He also pointed out that he is looking forward to future tripartite cooperation and that he will take into consideration all proposals and issues discussed during this meeting.