Integrating Internal Migrants in Social Protection Systems: Review on Best Practices to Inform Adaptive Social Protection Programs in the Sahel
Integrating Internal Migrants in Social Protection Systems: Review on Best Practices to Inform Adaptive Social Protection Programs in the Sahel
Internal migration is characterized by the movement of people within national borders, is a significant and growing phenomenon, with an estimated 763 million internal migrants globally as of 2013, and 71.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) by the end of 2022. These numbers will continue to increase due to factors such as urbanization and climate change. Estimates suggest that by 2045, the number of people living in cities worldwide will increase 1.5 times, to 6 billion (World Bank, 2019). Despite the potential social protection programs have in playing a positive supporting role for different types of migrants, their families and communities, and the economy, these interventions often fail to adequately address the needs of internal migrants and IDPs, who face unique challenges in accessing and benefiting from such support. This paper examines the barriers that internal migrants and IDPs encounter in relation to social protection programs and highlights best practices from global experiences in integrating migration considerations into the key components of social protection Systems. To overcome these challenges, the paper suggests several solutions, such as reforming eligibility criteria to explicitly include internal migrants, utilizing dynamic social registries to enable information updates, and designing migrant-inclusive support packages that take into consideration, for instance, the timings of participation. It also emphasizes the importance of portability and continuity of services, flexible program implementation, and effective outreach and communication strategies to ensure migrants are informed of their entitlements and can access services regardless of location.