Established in 1951, IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.

With 174 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.

The IOM Constitution recognizes the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement.

IOM works in the four broad areas of migration management:

Migration and development
Facilitating migration
Regulating migration
Forced migration.
IOM activities that cut across these areas include the promotion of international migration law, policy debate and guidance, protection of migrants' rights, migration health and the gender dimension of migration.

In 2019, IOM provided support to 30 million persons, including 23 million persons on the move (internally displaced persons, migrants and refugees) and 7 million host community members.

IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

The Organization works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, be they refugees, displaced persons or other uprooted people. The IOM Constitution gives explicit recognition to the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement of persons.

It also operates in the four broad areas of migration management: migration and development, facilitating migration, regulating migration, and addressing forced migration. Cross-cutting activities include the promotion of international migration law, policy debate and guidance, protection of migrants’ rights, migration health and the gender dimension of migration.

IOM works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.

WHAT WE DO
Migration Management
Crisis Response
International Cooperation and Partnerships
Data and Research
Global Compact for Migration

CROSS-CUTTING
Migration, Sustainable Development and the 2030 Agenda
Reducing Global Inequalities
Gender Equality
Migration, Environment and Climate Change
Countering Xenophobia
Internal Displacement

IOM has had a presence in Zambia since 1990 and became an IOM Member State two years later in May 1992. The IOM Zambia office falls under the auspices of the IOM Regional Office for Southern Africa. With its base in Lusaka, IOM Zambia implements migration governance programmes country-wide. IOM Zambia employs a comprehensive approach to programming through multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagements and interventions, addressing issues that impact migrants and migration-affected communities at the individual, community, national and structural/ policy levels. IOM Zambia’s programming follows a human rights-based, gender-sensitive and participatory approach.

The IOM Regional Office for Southern Africa provides strategic and programmatic guidance, as well as administrative and technical support to IOM Zambia. The United Nations in Zambia is a Delivering as One country and supports the Government and people of Zambia in their efforts to realize the long-term national Vision 2030. It reflects the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals, including the principle of Leave No-one Behind. As part of ‘Delivering as One’, the UN Country Team in Zambia operates through the UN Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF 2016-2021). The three priorities for SDPF are: inclusive social development; environmentally sustainable economic development; and governance and participation, all of which reflect the priorities of IOM in Zambia. IOM Zambia contributes to the delivery of the Government of Zambia’s Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) through its participation in the UN governance structures.

IOM Zambia is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits individuals and society alike and sees migration as the new constant going forward. IOM’s vision is for a world in which migrants move as a matter of genuine choice and not as a desperate necessity, in which the rights of migrants are protected throughout their migratory cycle, and in which migration is a well-governed and enabler of development, for the benefit of all, and leaving no one behind.

Based on current priorities and needs in the country, IOM Zambia’s work during 2019-2022 will focus on three key areas of intervention, which are aligned to the Migration Governance Framework:

Impact statement: Migration is well-governed to advance the socio-economic well-being of migrants and society
Impact statement: Forced migrants and at-risk communities are protected and more resilient to the mobility dimensions of crises
Impact statement: Migration management systems are designed and effectively implemented to support regular channels of migration, address irregular migration, and protect the dignity and rights of migrants
Advance the socio-economic wellbeing of migrants and society Good migration governance is based on effective responses to the mobility dimensions of crises Migration takes place in a safe, orderly and regular manner