Countering Unauthorised Migration by Addressing the Problem ‘Upstream’

Tragic scenes in the Mediterranean are just one consequence of the ever-increasing numbers of people fleeing conflict or seeking better economic circumstances through migration.

Unauthorised migration is facilitated mostly via ‘people smuggling’, where migrants pay large fees to organised criminal groups before embarking on long and dangerous journeys, during which exploitation, injury, illness and death are commonplace.

In 2016 alone, more than 5000 people drowned in the Mediterranean. And those that do reach their destinations pose myriad problems for the governments that must process and integrate these vulnerable people.

Some western governments are seeking solutions beyond closed borders, ‘upstream’, in the places where these journeys begin.

Accadian is working in South Asia for one European government agency, leading a communications campaign that counters a locally-ingrained culture of illegal migration.

Recognising the economic, cultural and familial pressures that potential migrants face, our campaign exposes the myths and misinformation that can lead families to spend huge sums sending loved ones on these perilous expeditions. It reframes the choices young people face and promotes safer, alternative paths to prosperity.

By telling the human stories of those who have faced the same choices, and by empowering young people to learn from these experiences, we are helping to turn the tide on unauthorised migration.

The long-term effects of this pilot project have yet to be assessed. But subject to measurement and evaluation, a new more dynamic and more effective approach that addresses the primary drivers of mass migration, is being established.