By Aji Fatou Jammeh
The Department of Information Services with support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) recently organised a day-long validation for the Standard Communications Procedure (SCP) on Return Migration. The document was developed through the consultancy service of Global Media Services The Gambia, and ACE Communications.
The forum, held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba International Conference Centre in Bijilo, brought together migration stakeholders both from government and the media.
The SCP aims to provide actors in migration governance, management and communication, mainly the Government of The Gambia, an important tool that informs and guides their approach for a synergised, harmonised and coordinated communication of forced return with the media and general public. It is designed to guide the different key stakeholders in the government’s communication of return migration, with a view to streamlining efforts geared towards a common communication approach, thereby ensuring greater efficiency, public trust and unified messages.
Principal Information Officer at the Department of Information Services Mr Madiba Sillah, informed that the development of the Standard Communications Procedure followed the validation of the first Gambia Government Migration Communications Strategy developed under the guidance of the Department of Information Services, with technical support from IOM. He further noted that the SCP is part of government’s efforts to improve migration communication within the broader framework of its migration governance undertakings.
He thanked IOM, the European Union through EURCAP for technical and financial support respectively, and the consultants Global Media Services and ACE Communications Executive for putting together such an important document.
Mr. Lamin Jahateh of Global Media Services highlighted the importance of the document which, he affirmed, seeks to improve communication on migration in The Gambia, addressing challenges bordering on migration communications in general and forced return in particular.
He challenged government to take the lead when it comes to migration communications and not to allow the population to lead the narratives on migration in which the government will only be responding to allegations.
The Migration Communication Strategy and the SCP were part of the main outcomes of the Support Action delivered by IOM within the framework of EURCAP Facility – Strengthening of Communication on Migration in The Gambia project - supported by the European Commission. Through the project, IOM rolled out a series of communication capacity-building initiatives for government information officers, National Coordination Mechanism on Migration (NCM) members, Migration Communication and Advocacy Thematic Working Group members, media and civil society organizations – aimed at increasing understanding on migration management priorities and communicate these effectively, accurately and sensitively to the population.
