An Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) approach shall be adopted in the set-up and management of migrant centres to promote an accessible, inclusive, and protective environment. Centres shall be organized in a way so that they can be accessed and used to the greatest possible extent regardless of users’ age, gender, and abilities (principles of universal design). Inclusivity ensures that all beneficiaries have equal access to assistance and services provided in migrant centres. Diversity in values, attitudes, cultural perspectives, beliefs, ethnic background, nationality, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity, ability, health, social status, skills, and other specific personal characteristics must be taken into account, and dedicated efforts made by IOM to address and remove barriers that prevent inclusivity.
Different types of barriers may prevent access to equal opportunities, including:
|
Physical man-made barriers
|
Physical man-made barriers affecting safety and access, such as staircases, narrow doors, steps at the entrance of latrines or showers. These barriers affect not only beneficiaries with disabilities but also those with reduced mobility due to age or medical conditions. Accessibility to migrant centres premises can be enhanced by installing barrier-free entrances, accessible handles, ramps, and handrails and by ensuring that openings are wide enough for a wheelchair. Accommodation for people with limited mobility must be located on the ground floor unless there is an elevator. Sanitary facilities must be located at the ground floor and designed to meet the needs of all beneficiaries regardless of age or ability (toilets at an appropriate height, handrails/bars to aide transition from chair to toilet, space for a wheelchair to turn, sink at an appropriate height, non-slip floors). Tables in eating areas, recreational spaces, and counseling rooms must be at a comfortable height and provide enough legroom for persons using wheelchairs.
|
|
Barriers related to access to services, information and communication |
Barriers related to access to services, information, and communication may be experienced by some beneficiaries. Information shall be provided in multiple formats accessible also to vision-impaired and hearing-impaired beneficiaries. Corridors and stairwells should have visual cues for those who are visually impaired. This may include painting the wall or baseboard and handrails with contrasting colors and adding tactical cues such as non-slip mats on stairs. Priority lines for persons with disabilities or other physical impairments shall be foreseen, as well as assistance to access certain services (e.g. food and NFIs distribution, access to communal spaces, etc.). Adequate measures to overcome language and cultural barriers also must be put in place. Oral and written information sharing shall be ensured in multiple languages in order to ensure the inclusiveness of all beneficiaries. Signs and printed material shall be translated in the languages spoken at the facility, and interpretation and cultural mediation services may be provided. All services must be designed taking into account the cultural, religious, or traditional considerations of all beneficiaries. All personnel working in the facilities must be trained to treat all individuals with dignity and respect, and work to ensure universal access to services and information. Staff and partners gender balance will further support the inclusion of all beneficiaries, and visibility materials should be posted and disseminated around the facilities to promote IOM's commitment to diversity.
|
|
Attitudinal barriers |
Attitudinal barriers related to biased perception of beneficiaries with specific vulnerabilities. Separate entry and exit modalities for particularly high-risk beneficiaries is a minimum requirement. Migrant centres shall be equipped with single-user sanitary facilities that can be used by those at risk of using shared facilities, and IOM shall be supportive of beneficiaries using the facility that best fits their gender identity. Similarly, if a risk of stigmatization is identified, specific accommodation options for beneficiaries at risk including same-sex couples, trans, and gender non-conforming beneficiaries, and any other person who may be at risk of sharing accommodation because of stigmatization, as for instance beneficiaries with disabilities or with mental health needs. |
Age considerations are also extremely important, as people's needs and capacity change over time. Child protection considerations shall be taken into account in the design and management of migrant centres. In fact, infrastructures’ set-up and services shall meet children's and caregivers’ basic needs, including accessibility, safety, and security for children of all ages, genders, disabilities, and other diversity factors. Dedicated indoor and outdoor child-friendly spaces such as play areas equipped with age and culturally-appropriate toys, spaces for learning, and other activities, as well as private places for nursing, shall be foreseen since the planning stage to ensure that these will not be excluded because of lack of space. Health, psychosocial support, and other services can be provided in the child-friendly spaces, which also serve as venues to identify vulnerable and at-risk children in need of further protection interventions. Depending on the nature of the facilities, child-friendly spaces may be provided on a lesser scale due to the temporary nature of the family’s stay in the facilities. While gender separation is the general rule in case accommodation is provided, families shall room together to preserve the privacy and family unit.