The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in The Gambia, in collaboration with the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) to facilitate evidence-based decision making on migration governance and response to the needs of vulnerable migrants
DTM is IOM’s information system which tracks and monitors population mobility – capturing, processing, and disseminating information to provide a better understanding of the movements and evolving needs of people on the move in places of origin, transit and destination. Since 2008, DTM has been deployed in over 80 countries worldwide.
In recent years, Gambians have emigrated at a higher rate per capita than every other nation in Africa. Between 2015 and 2020, more than 33,000 Gambians arrived in Europe, while more than 6,000 have voluntarily returned home since 2017 with support from IOM.
Despite this, there are significant migration data gaps in a country of 2.4 million people. Migration data has traditionally been collected inconsistently and seasonally. As a result, the full extent of migration remains uncertain, given the country’s highly porous borders.
“Given the significance of migration to The Gambia’s social fabric, gaining a more comprehensive picture of mobility is critical, especially to enhance preparedness and response to the needs of migrants,” said Stephen Matete, IOM’s immigration and border management programme manager in The Gambia. “Only when we understand who is migrating where and for what reasons can we design appropriate policies and interventions to better govern migration and promote migrants’ rights.”
The locations were selected for being areas of high transit, following a participatory mapping by stakeholders during a national consultation forum in November 2020 and a series of regional consultations in January 2021 with local stakeholders.
The surveys will collect information on migrant demographics, social and economic profiles; journey history and routes; migration motivations and intentions; and the impact of COVID-19 on mobility. In turn, the DTM data will be useful to government, humanitarian and development actors to inform policymaking, as well as identifying and responding to the needs of vulnerable migrants.
