Original Language
English
Number of Pages
140
Reference Number
ENG0290
Year of Publication
2013

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Handbook for the North African Region

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In response to the growing need to facilitate and assist the voluntary return and reintegration of vulnerable migrants in North Africa, IOM Egypt has produced the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Handbook for the North African Region. This handbook will serve as a tool to build the capacities of governments, NGOs, international organizations and other relevant partners in North Africa to establish effective assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) programmes in accordance with IOM standards. AVRR is an indispensable part of IOM’s comprehensive approach to migration governance that supports the orderly and humane return and reintegration of migrants who are unable or unwilling to remain in host countries and wish to voluntarily return to their countries of origin.



The AVRR Handbook for the North African Region will also serve to train AVRR staff and will be used as a reference for best practices. The handbook is structured into two sections. The first provides an introduction to AVRR within the North African context and describes IOM’s global and regional policies concerning AVRR. The second offers guidelines, best practices, tips, case studies and recommendations relating to the various stages of the AVRR process. This section also contains specific chapters that address the various types of vulnerable migrants and define the AVRR mechanism required by each.



The handbook, inspired by IOM’s global internal handbook for AVRR, was specifically developed to consolidate IOM’s extensive experience and expertise in implementing AVRR programmes in North Africa. With a central focus on North Africa, the handbook has been adapted for use by an external audience and designed as a useful guide for relevant stakeholders in the region in setting up AVRR programmes. The production of the handbook was a key objective achieved under the Regional Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme for Stranded Migrants in Egypt and Libya (RAVEL).



Funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Italian Government, RAVEL aimed at assisting the voluntary return and reintegration of migrants stranded in Libya and Egypt, with a specific focus on Ethiopia and Sudan as countries of return. The project also foresees as an important component the enhancement of the capacities of the aforementioned governments to assist migrants with return and reintegration, ensuring a humane, dignified and sustainable approach to migration governance.

  • List of Acronyms
  • Glossary
  • Foreword
  • Introduction
  • How to use this manual
  • Part I: An Introduction to AVRR and AVRR in the North African Region
  • Introduction
    • Chapter 1: IOM and AVRR
    • Chapter 2: AVRR in North Africa
  • Part II: Operational Guidance and Guidelines for AVRR in North Africa
  • Introduction
    • Chapter 3: General Guidelines on AVRR
    • Chapter 4: Forms of Return and Reintegration Assistance
    • Chapter 5: Vulnerable migrants
    • Conclusion
  • Annex 1 Country Profiles
  • Annex 2 Table of principal international and regional laws at play protecting migrants’ rights and their status of ratification by North African countries
  • Annex 3 Table of EU policies, laws, directives and programmes related to migration, readmission and AVRR
  • Annex 4 Further reading references
  • Annex 5 Good Practices in AVRR from outside the North African Region
  • Bibliography