By Palma Ileye
Federal Government of Nigeria fronted by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration, IOM, has validated the Best Interest Procedures, BIP, guidelines for Migrants in vulnerable situations and incapable of decisions to achieve sustainable solutions initiative.
In a press release issued yesterday by Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr Olujimi Oyetomi, the guidelines which was validated on 9th February, 2023 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State was aimed at enhancing and boosting the capacities of relevant stakeholders to address protection needs of migrants in vulnerable situations in Nigeria.
According to the statement, Ruth Mbugua of IOM, noted that the BIP guidelines seek to improve service delivery by promoting consistency, efficiency and effectiveness when responding to the needs of migrants in vulnerable situations particularly unaccompanied and separated children and adults incapable of making decisions without assistance, thus putting migrants’ best interest at the centre.
The statement read, “these guidelines are designed to orient and formalize Best Interest Procedures (Best Interest Assessments and Best Interest Determination ) for vulnerable migrants, in line with established standards, and for establishing the BID Panel and laying down its responsibilities.
“The guidelines focus on vulnerable migrants and outline both the elements of and the procedures for the BIA and BID processes.
“It provides a harmonized inter-governmental and inter-agency tool that supports front-line service providers in providing comprehensive protection assistance to vulnerable migrants.”
Mr. Benjamin Okwesa IOM Focal Person in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, a Deputy-Director in the Department of Gender Affairs, explained that the BIP Guidelines will improve the “Case Management” system and practice in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and other related Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, by ensuring that the Best Interest of Vulnerable Migrants incapable of making decisions by themselves was a primary consideration when rendering services to them.
“The Guideline will also serve as a tool that will assist the Federal Ministry of Women of Affairs to improve on her various responses to the protection needs of these vulnerable migrants”, he added.
Furthermore, it stated that the guidelines came at a time when Nigeria as well as some other countries of the World have been affected with issues of women, children and older persons who need assistance in one form or the other on how to resolve their situations before such escalate to un-manageable proportions such as deprivations, depression, mental ill-health and in extreme cases, death.
The statement continued, “During the development phase of the guidelines vulnerable migrants were defined to include migrant children at risk, adults who as a consequence of their mental, physical and psychological health challenges are not able to make decisions for themselves–persons with disabilities, persons with special needs, older persons, victims of trafficking and presumed and potential victims of trafficking and a few others.
“The Stakeholders necessary for the administration of the BIA and BID include Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Nigeria Police Force, NPF,
National Commission of Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI, Civil Society Organizations, CSOs’ Representatives, International and National Government Organization, INGOs and other States’ equivalent of the Ministries and Agencies named at the Federal level. The Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Ministry of Education were identified to be called in, when such becomes necessary.
“The Best Interest Procedures were developed through funding by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands as part of “Cooperation on Migration and Partnership for a Sustainable Solutions, COMPASS”; a global initiative that seeks to assist individuals while working across all levels: households, communities, and the wider communities through a whole-of-society approach.
“The Stakeholders necessary for the administration of the BIA and BID include Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Nigeria Police Force, NPF, National Commission of Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Civil Society Organizations, CSOs’ Representative, International and National Government Organization, INGOs and other States’ equivalent of the Ministries and Agencies named at the Federal level.”
It also noted stated that the Federal Ministry of Justice and Federal Ministry of Education were identified to be called in cases where that become necessary.
Prior to this review and validation exercise held in Port Harcourt, the Ministry concerned with the issues of vulnerable migrants has in December, 2022, assembled the selected stakeholders to give vital inputs and observations which were reflected in draft document.
