Integrating migration into local development planning

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Summary

This project occured under the Mainstreaming Migration into International Cooperation and Development (MMICD) project, implemented by IOM and funded by DG-INTPA. Learn about MMICD here.

Key objective

Test the MMICD draft tools to enhance local governments’ capacity to integrate migration into development planning. 

Main activities

The technical assistance (TA) in Ecuador focused on integrating migration into the four-year local Development and Territorial Management Plans (PDOTs) of five Decentralized Autonomous Governments (GADs), or sub-regional/local governments, which were in the process of being revised. IOM, in collaboration with the Association of Ecuadorean Municipalities (AME), realized that decentralized areas of governance in Ecuador are uniquely placed to articulate migration and development realities, as they directly address migration opportunities and challenges through local development planning and service provision. Short-term consultants were contracted to conduct a preliminary analysis of migration, local governance, and the needs of Ecuadorean municipalities. 


To address the needs identified, a local methodological toolkit to integrate migration in PDOTs was developed. The consultants then provided technical support to five GADs and used the methodological toolkit to identify relevant migration linkages within their PDOTs. An online training and consultative processes were also carried out, including an online workshop in cooperation with the AME to exchange practices and disseminate the methodological toolkit to 120 GADs nationwide. The TA also benefited from cooperation with the UN Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) and IOM’s related M4SD project, which both provide prospects to further build on the migration mainstreaming progress achieved. 

Key successes or innovative factors, good practices and lessons learned (if available)

  • Integrated migration at the policy level in the five GADs. 
  • Identified migration linkages through the preliminary analysis and supported the GADs to integrate these linkages in their PDOTs.
  • Built local government capacities and awareness of migration and how to operationalize the migration aspects of their local development plans through training and consultative processes. 
  • Provided GADs in Ecuador, through the AME, with permanent access to the local methodological toolkit, which can guide PDOT implementation and future planning cycles.

Beneficiaries

  • Five Decentralized Autonomous Governments: Catamayo, El Carmen, Huaquillas, Pedernales, and Zamora
  • Association of Ecuadorean Municipalities (AME)

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