The EU Action Plan against migrant smuggling (COM(2015)285) states that raising awareness of the risks of smuggling and of irregular migration is crucial for preventing prospective migrants and asylum seekers, including people in more vulnerable situations such as children, from embarking on hazardous journeys towards the EU. The Action Plan foresees the launch of information and awareness raising campaigns in key countries of origin or transit for migrants. It points to the importance of counter-narrative in the media to oppose misleading information provided by migrant smugglers, including through social media and with the involvement of diaspora communities in the EU.
The objective of the information and awareness raising campaigns and communication activities is to sensitise the target audience and to provide prospective migrants, vulnerable communities, diaspora members and local media with objective information about the perils of migrant smuggling and the legal, social and economic realities of life in Europe, as well as the available legal pathways to Europe. Ultimately, these campaigns seek to enable asylum seekers and migrants to make informed decisions about their movements and plans for the future.
A recent study published by the European Commission showed the important role the Diaspora in conveying messages and information about Europe and migration. Before departure, television influences the aspirations of potential migrants in the country of origin, while word of mouth communication with peers at home and in the diaspora in the EU assists in building plans and encourages moves. Migration plans are often, and perhaps understandably, modelled after the successful journeys of peers already in Europe, and the diaspora continues to be a trusted source of information on the journey. Many migrants seek out new contacts with compatriots based in Europe, predominantly via social media channels.
However, the study has also shown that migrants in the diaspora are unreliable interlocutors. The fast pace of change in transit and destination country policies and contexts, means that the journey and asylum application of one migrant can become unrecognisable just weeks later. Most pertinently, the difficulties irregular migrants face in the host countries are not known by migrants in transit. This seems to indicate that although a great majority of migrants are regularly in contact with the diaspora, they either receive inaccurate information or misinterpret it.
Against this background, the general objective of this action is to engage and empower diaspora communities in EU Member States in raising awareness on the risks of irregular migration and migrant smuggling, and on alternative legal pathways to Europe.
Applications that put forward activities targeting one of the following diasporas will be eligible for this call: Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria. Each application shall target a single diaspora community, which should be clearly indicated in the application form.
Objectives
Concretely, the objectives of this priority are to:
Actions
The following actions and measures may be financed:
o map existing practices, methods and approaches in engaging with diaspora on the topic of prevention of irregular migration and migrant smuggling
o identify the target audience(s), its/their characteristic, motivations, information needs and gaps, and access to media and information sources
o identify communication channels that can be most effectively used by diaspora communities in raising awareness amongst (prospective) irregular migrants in countries of origin or transit
The involvement of diaspora organisation is key to the successful implementation of this Priority. Applications, which focus only on capacity building for diaspora communities in the EU and in third countries, will not be considered for funding under this call.
Outcomes
The projects financed under this priority should achieve the following outcomes:
Expected Impact:
A successful integration of third-country nationals in EU societies is key to the success of EU migration policies. In this context, it is crucial to support efforts of Member States to integrate third-country nationals and promote exchanges of experiences and practices in this field through funding of transnational actions.
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