International Organization for Migration (IOM)
History of Agency in the World and Iran
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is an intergovernmental organization established in 1951 with its mandate to manage migration and migration related issues throughout the world. International Organization for Migration has 120 member states, 19 observer states and more than 100 field offices around the world. The most important activities of the organization are focused in two sectors “services” and “program and policy development” within the framework of five principal areas including migration and development, facilitating migration, regulating migration, forced migration and its cross – cutting area (technical cooperation, research, international migration law, decision making and policy development issues, migrants rights, health and migration and migration and gender).
IOM started its activities in Iran in July 1990 by focusing on evacuation of third country nationals caught in the Iraq-Kuwait conflict. By the end of 2000, IOM, jointly with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), repatriated approximately 370,000 Afghan nationals voluntarily to Afghanistan.
The Islamic Republic of Iran had joined IOM as an observer in 1995. Iran was accepted as a full member in IOM’s Governors’ Council in 2001. Since 2004, IOM has changed its refugee-oriented approach and adopted a guiding program/policy-oriented approach with the purpose of assisting Iran in migration management issues and tackling the new challenges the country is exposed to.
Priorities Globally and in Iran
In order for the Islamic Republic of Iran to benefit from international experiences in the area of migration management, IOM emphasizes the promotion of quality management potential and the perpetuation of broad-based strategies. To this end, the following activities have been undertaken:
- Technical cooperation with the governmental entities of the I.R. Iran in the area of migration management and policy development;
– Combating irregular migration, including human trafficking and smuggling;
– Labor migration;
– Voluntary return and reintegration;
– Cooperation in border management, and
– Development of national and regional migration policies and strategies.
Note: While not part of the United Nations at the headquarters level, the International Organization for Migration operates as a member of the UN Country Team in its member states.
Address: No. 32 Kashfian Alley, North Sheikhbahaei Ave., Vanak, Tehran, Iran, 19936
Tel: (98-21) 8804 3377/ 8806 0443/ 8806 0442 E-mail: email@example.com
Facsimile : (98-21) 8804 7504 website: www.iom.int