Zimbabwe is the largest source of migrants residing in southern Africa, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) which launched a Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Bulawayo, on Wednesday.
The centre will inform outgoing, intending or potential Zimbabwean migrants about safe, legal and orderly migration.
IOM also observed that Zimbabwean migrants are also moving to other regions, such as the Middle East and Europe, in pursuit of economic opportunities, which makes it essential to provide accurate migration information.
The MRC is located at the Msitheli Building, at the Old Memorial Hospital on 10th Avenue and Lobengula Street Extension.
Speaking during the launch, IOM Chief Migration Health Officer, Thomas Charles Kalasani, representing the IOM Chief of Mission, Dyane Epstein said globally, migrants accounted for 3.6 percent of the population.
“The current global projection is there are approximately 281 million international migrants in the world, according to the World Migration Report (WMR) 2022. According to the WMR 2020, Zimbabwe is the largest source of migrants residing in southern Africa,” Kalasani said.
Furthermore, according to Kalasani, Zimbabwean migrants are leaving the country in pursuit of economic gains in the Middle East and Europe, where the government of Zimbabwe has taken action to make sure its citizens can return home after becoming victims of human trafficking.
“In light of this, the Zimbabwean government has developed MRCs as a mitigation step to make sure they serve as a one-stop shop for migrants seeking independent and impartial information, and guidance as they embark on their migration journey,” he said.
“MRC is a fundamental requisite for enhancing knowledge for the migrant community to curb human trafficking and promote orderly, safe, and regular migration.”
Kalasani said IOM’s approach and priority interventions to leverage migration for sustainable development outcomes are hinged upon promotion of a whole-of-government approach, a whole-of-society approach and a whole-of-migrant approach to programming and migration management.
“The obtaining issues around the trafficking incidents in Omani, and the negotiation of Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements all require concerted effort of all stakeholders and as such your maximum cooperation is called upon. IOM stands ready to support the Government of Zimbabwe in promoting good migration governance through effective implementation of all Migration related initiatives.”
Guest of honour at the event, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, July Moyo concurred the MRC would empower migrants to have access to accurate sources of information and reliable services as part of the implementation of National Labour Migration Policy 2021.
The National Labour Migration Policy is in line with SDG target 10.7 that calls for facilitation of orderly, safe, responsible migration and mobility of people through implementation of planned and well managed policies.
“Migration can produce a harmful and a dangerous atmosphere. It can introduce abusiveness just as it can introduce insecurity, both internally and outside the country. Migration can end up reintroducing slavery, depending on how a person is migrated. So when we talk about migration, we are also aware of these negative impacts that can take place, including xenophobia and human trafficking, social unrest and discrimination,” Moyo said.
The minister said the MRC is linked to the Employment Service Department which helps people identify job opportunities nationwide.
“The Employment Service Department is in all the provinces and in some districts. Their job is not just to make sure that you are placed, but they can also give counselling,” said Moyo, noting that the government wants to revive the Employment Service Department’s role of providing employment advice to students in primary, secondary as well as in tertiary institutions.
“We urge anybody seeking employment to use the services of this Employment Service Department and we also urge local authorities and institutions to also send people through the National Employment Department, based here, so that they can be screened.”
The minister, however, said the National Employment Department should guard against employing relatives in companies as he has seen in some enterprises.
“I hope you don’t start recruiting your cousins, nephews and when somebody dies, the whole place shuts down because everybody would have gone to the funeral. I’ve seen that happen in some institutions,” he said and turned to the Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Judith Ncube to advise job seekers to go through the National Employment Services for screening and job referrals.
“This way we can have statistics about our employment.”
Director of Human Resources in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Maxwell Muguse, representing Minister Kazembe Kazembe stated the launch of the MRC is a testament of the government’s approach to migration governance.
“We are fully aware and appreciate that various ministries, departments and agencies handle migration issues,” he said.
“In recent years we have witnessed a concerning rise in the movement of people across the borders, which has resulted in some of our citizens subjected to exploitative and slave-like working conditions in their destination countries. To mitigate this my ministry has made deliberate efforts in dealing with transnational and organised crimes such as human trafficking.”
Muguse said they have been doing a lot of work in tracking down the activities of the fraudulent recruiters.
“We will stop at nothing to make sure our citizens are protected from these criminals. We therefore request the public to report any such incidents as we fight this vice together,” he said.
Ward 26 Emganwini councillor Mpumelelo Moyo representing Bulawayo mayor, David Coltart, said the MRC will also serve as a symbol of unity, solidarity, and hospitality for which the people of Bulawayo are known for.
