An international organisation has appealed for concerted efforts in ensuring that the drivers of migration have been addressed in the country.

The plea has been made in Lilongwe during a two-day Capacity Building Workshop for Journalists and Media Practitioners on migration, return and community-based reintegration.

Head of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) of the United Nations Migration Agency Mpilo Nkomo told YFM that journalists play a crucial role in advocating irregular migration.

“The workshop on media has been organised so that we can create some awareness and also to create a platform on engagement with the media institution and practitioners so that information shared on migration is evidence based,” said Nkomo.

The pilot action on voluntary return and sustainable community based reintegration intends to target 500 people, and 293 have already been supported.

“It is not all going to be entirely supporting individuals but this project also has a community initiative component, where these migrants are coming from,” added Nkomo.

All targeted countries will enhance the sustainability of returnee’s economic, social and psychological reintegration through individual and community-level assistance.

According to Nkomo, Malawi is one of the beneficiaries of the pilot action because the country is migrant sending country.

He said there is need to build awareness through the media by creating a platform for engagement with journalists so that there is evidence based approach on information sharing.

The pilot action is in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, where all UN member states confirmed a target of facilitating orderly, safe and responsible migration and mobility of people.