Institutional & communications assessment

In the mid-1990s the International Organization for Migration (IOM) faced one of the most pivotal moments in its history. Though it counted 76 member states, it remained outside the United Nations system, and its work was increasingly perceived to overlap with that of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). At precisely the time when migration pressures were rising due to conflict, displacement, and human rights violations across the Middle East and Africa, questions were being asked about whether IOM should continue as an independent entity or whether its mandate should be folded into an existing UN agency. The risk was that at its point of greatest relevance, IOM could lose its institutional footing.

The Director-General asked for a comprehensive analysis of IOM’s mandate and its standing with key stakeholders. The request included a review of internal structures and responsibilities, identification of operational risks and inconsistencies, and a sensitive exploration of member state views—both formal positions and what was being said behind closed doors. The organization also wanted an assessment of how IOM was being perceived externally by the media, by partner agencies, and by international organizations, to gauge whether there was sufficient support for its continued independence.

The overarching purpose was to equip IOM with an evidence-based strategy for securing legitimacy and alignment at a critical juncture. Leadership wanted to know whether the international community would support an empowered IOM with a renewed mandate, or whether they should prepare for closer integration with UNHCR. In short, the client sought the foundation for a sustainable institutional future at the heart of the multilateral system.