In a decisive step toward building a coordinated and rights-based approach to migration in the region, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), alongside the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), held a series of national-level consultations with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) throughout July.
The consultations are central to shaping the CARICOM Migration Policy Framework, a forthcoming regional plan to strengthen governance and protection for migrants across member states.
More than 127 CSOs participated in eight consultations — three in-person sessions in Barbados, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia, and five virtual sessions with stakeholders in Belize, Guyana, Suriname, The Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The events aimed to gather insights directly from grassroots organisations working in diverse communities affected by migration.
“These discussions are critical for ensuring that policy is grounded in lived realities,” said Eraina Yaw, IOM Deputy Coordinator for the Caribbean and Head of Office in Guyana.
“Civil society organisations are deeply embedded in Caribbean communities and are often the most informed about the realities migrants face. Their proximity and trust within these communities allow them to respond quickly, advocate effectively, and ensure migrants are seen, heard, and supported,” she stated.
Participants addressed issues ranging from migrant protection and service delivery to community-level trends and local policy impacts.
Gabrielle Gay, founder of the Erline Bradshaw Foundation in Barbados, emphasised the unique role of CSOs in filling data gaps.
“We’re going into the schools, we’re going into the communities… capturing that qualitative data that may not be readily available, particularly in the Caribbean,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nancy Pinchas of Jamaica’s Council for Voluntary Social Service added, “Civil society is the intermediary between government and individuals. CSOs represent all demographics and marginalised groups, ensuring that legislation reflects a broad and inclusive perspective.”
The consultations, conducted with support from the United Nations (UN) Network on Migration and in parallel with similar engagements by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), reflect a whole-of-society approach to policy design.
IOM and its partners aim to localise migration governance, strengthen collaboration, and ensure practical recommendations from the ground directly inform the regional Migration Policy Framework and its Plan of Action.
The initiative is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, with additional support from the European Union’s Building Migration Partnerships programme.
The outcomes will be synthesised and shared with the wider CSO community, contributing to the framework’s development and expected adoption later this year.
