Activities

IOM Mission in Belarus operates in four main thematic areas:

Movement, Emergency and Post-conflict Migration Management

The movement of people and the associated activities to facilitate orderly migration around the world has been a substantial part of IOM’s operational programs over the years. IOM Minsk provides transportation assistance to individuals or groups either from or to their places of origin under variety of programs such as resettlement, voluntary return operations, counter-trafficking, etc. IOM’s movement and travel operations ensure that migrants are transported smoothly to their final resettlement destinations.

Migration Health

IOM Minsk is accredited by the Immigration Authorities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States for medical clearance, which ensures full compliance with the required standards and prevents entry visa rejection cases, which result from negligent and unprofessional examinations and processing of medical documents. It consists of the evaluation of physical and mental health status of migrants for all stages of migrants’ movement.

Regulating Migration

• Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programmes implemented by IOM Minsk aim to facilitate the development of the asylum and migration system of Belarus, as well as to develop an effective migrants’ referral system. AVRR is an indispensable part of a comprehensive approach to migration management aiming at orderly and humane return and reintegration of migrants who are unable or unwilling to remain in host countries and wish to return voluntarily to their countries of origin.
• The IOM counter-trafficking activity started in September 2002 and addresses four integrated aspects: the protection and reintegration of victims of human trafficking, the prosecution and criminalization of human traffickers, prevention of trafficking in human beings and partnership.
• Technical cooperation in border management and facilitation of customs operations are targeted at strengthening the surveillance, border control and migration management capacities of the Government of Belarus ensuring the intensification of orderly and legitimate movement of persons and traffic of goods and vehicles across its territory and the borders for the benefit of the whole region.

Facilitating Migration

IOM Minsk is carrying out an information campaign that aims at distributing information to target groups about legal migration opportunities abroad. The campaign is carried out via an info-line, press conferences, leaflet distribution, public relations activities, and advertising.