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Yeukai Tazira Herald Reporter
Government has launched a National Referral Mechanism document  (NRM) to assist officials and other stakeholders to provide services that ensure migrants’ protection needs are recognised.

Addressing stakeholders in Harare yesterday, Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Simon Masanga said the document sought to strengthen officials’ awareness of national, regional and international legal instruments for the protection of migrants.

The ministry, through the Department of Social Welfare, envisions that migrants’ protection needs are recognised and addressed in situations of mixed migration flows through assisting first line officials and other stakeholders on matters of vulnerable migrants.

“The department undertakes to administer, coordinate and monitor the effective and efficient delivery of migrant protection interventions,” he said.

Mr Masanga said the document will help in addressing problems faced by migrants at both local and national levels.

“The NRM also seeks to maximise efficiency and effectiveness of measures put in place at the local and national levels to address challenges faced by vulnerable migrants by preventing duplication of works, promoting interdepartmental and inter-agency cooperation and improving the speed of service provision to intended recipients,” he said.

Mr Masanga commended the technical partners who made the NRM launch a success.

“I would like to acknowledge the sterling work done by our technical partners involved in coming up with the documents, these are: International Organisation for Migration, the United States Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, the European Union, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Save the Children International and other civil society organisations, together with the ministry, in developing materials over the years which provided the content for the documents and the referral mechanism that we launch here today,” he said.