Opinion: Saving lives on migration routes is everyone’s responsibility

Thousands of people have lost their lives along migration routes within and from West and Central Africa in recent years, as they attempt to cross the Sahara and brave the sea on their way to the Canary Islands and mainland Europe. Through the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project and individuals’ testimonials, deaths and disappearances of people on the move have been identified, but many more go undocumented.

While anecdotal evidence indicates that the death or disappearance of men, women, and children along these routes is a daily reality, there is a dearth of complete and reliable quality data on the issue.

We cannot allow this tragedy to continue among people on migration routes. Policymakers can take action to minimize the number of deaths, through concrete policies and implementation at the national and regional levels.

“Save lives and establish coordinated international efforts on missing migrants,” was the central call on states formulated as objective eight of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, or GCM, in 2018, which most United Nations member states adopted.

In 2022, this objective remains scarcely implemented in West Africa or reflected in the European Union’s migration-related policies on West Africa. Availability, quality, and accessibility of evidence and data on missing people who have undertaken migration journeys remain low, and existing data isn’t adequately considered.

More than 2,100 people have died in West Africa and on overseas routes from the region to Europe since 2014, according to data from IOM’s MMP. However, the actual figure is likely to be higher as many deaths and disappearances have gone undocumented due to the lack of official sources on migrant deaths.

Although deaths of people migrating on the West Africa Atlantic Route have received much media coverage in recent years, deaths in the Sahara have been occurring for longer and in greater numbers. Additionally, in the same period, at least 1,600 nationals of the Economic Community of West African States died or disappeared during migration, mostly on overseas routes to Europe.

Furthermore, the identities and profiles of many of those who have died or gone missing on these routes are often unknown, affecting families’ ability to search for loved ones.

This lack of data leads to ineffectual policies and programs aimed at preventing migrants’ deaths and saving lives because they are not informed by a robust evidence base. In the absence of such, the issue of missing people has often been associated with the prevention of irregular migration, rather than the need to find solutions to save lives and protect the human rights of migrants and asylum-seekers. This has in turn increased the risk of going missing for those who embark on these journeys.

To date, only Niger and Nigeria have adopted policy provisions on GCM’s objective eight, while only Niger and Senegal are currently implementing measures related to this objective. In Niger, a National Inter-ministerial Committee for the Management of Human Remains, including those of people who are migrating, has been established as part of implementing actions of a national strategy for managing deaths related to migration, armed conflict, and disasters.

As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to push more migrants and asylum-seekers toward the West African coasts, significant efforts are being made only by a few states to address the issue. Senegal is assessing its capacity to conduct search and rescue operations at sea and to assist rescued and returning migrants and is developing standard operating procedures on assistance after disembarkation, with the support of IOM.

While these efforts should be supported and hailed — they are a drop in the ocean. Further efforts by policymakers are needed, as limited policy implementation and data gaps are mutually reinforcing.

Considering the currently available evidence, IOM is appealing to West African and European policymakers to step in and take the following three courses of action.

First, improve the national, regional, and global data and evidence based on migrant deaths and risks of irregular migration, by adopting formal data strategies targeting use of existing data for policymaking and programming.

Second, mainstream objective eight of the Global Compact on Migration in relevant national and transnational policies, while respecting international obligations on the rights to life. It should also be integrated in international funding frameworks, while avoiding linking its implementation with the prevention of irregular migration.

Lastly, establish new initiatives and strengthen existing ones to implement objective eight through transnational policy approaches. This can be achieved with dedicated coordination mechanisms on the topic of missing migrants in countries of origin, transit, and destination and through participatory approaches and partnerships involving international organizations, local civil society organizations, and families of missing migrants and asylum-seekers.

Saving the lives of people on migration routes is everyone’s responsibility and must become a priority for GCM member states and beyond. Lack of concrete action will lead to further unnecessary deaths.