Almaty, Kazakhstan – On 14 November 2024 the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in cooperation with the Governments of Kazakhstan and Canada, hosted a workshop titled “Enhancing Migration Management and Governance for Displaced Afghans in Central Asia”. In alignment with IOM’s mission to promote dignified, orderly, and safe migration for the benefit of all, the workshop is part of the ongoing efforts under the project Improving Migration Governance and Access to Services for Displaced Afghans in Pakistan and Central Asia, which aims to support government institutions and stakeholders in Central Asia to share best practices of working on emergency response, protection and integration of migrants and displaced people to local economies. 

As of mid-year 2023, Central Asian countries hosted 21,814 refugees and 2,468 asylum seekers: 99.3 per cent of the refugees and 62.4 per cent of asylum seekers hosted in Central Asia were from Afghanistan (Migration Data Portal).  Hence the Workshop brought together key stakeholders from across the region, including the representatives from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan seeking to address integration, social cohesion, and economic empowerment of displaced Afghans in Central Asia allowing participants to mutually identify and address challenges, ultimately paving the way to improve protection and integration policies and processes in Central Asia, strengthening regional cooperation, and exploring solutions for the integration and economic empowerment of Afghan migrants and displaced populations.

The event featured sessions focused on building capacities for effective migration governance, fostering gender-responsive approaches, and exploring sectoral solutions for long-term integration. Highlights include sessions led by IOM country representatives, emphasizing the importance of migrant integration policies, gender-responsive governance, and the empowerment of Afghan women through education and economic initiatives and discussions on focused initiatives to uplift Afghan women through skill-building and education, aligned with the 2030 Agenda and Global Compact for Migration.

The day culminated with creative engagement through Afghan fashion Initiative at the Eurasian Fashion Week, a unique integration initiative supporting Afghan migrants’, showcasing cultural diversity, and fostering social cohesion.

The workshop was organised in the framework of the "Improving Migration Governance and Access to Services for Displaced Afghans in Pakistan and Central Asia" project funded by the Canadian Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

For media inquiries, please contact:

IOM Almaty, T. +7 727 258 26 43, iomalmaty@iom.int