Mixed movements of refugees and migrants pose significant, multifaceted challenges for governments, the people themselves and communities in countries of origin, asylum, transit and destination. While refugees have distinct needs for international protection, as recognized in international refugee law, they often use the same routes as migrants and face similar vulnerabilities and risks along the way.

Many individuals involved in mixed movements, regardless of their motivation, use the asylum channel as the main available means to obtain legal stay, causing asylum systems to become backlogged and overwhelmed along the route. This negatively affects those in genuine need of international protection while complicating State efforts to run effective asylum systems.

As noted by the High Commissioner for Refugees “mixed flows of refugees moving alongside migrants along routes fraught with risk, like the scourge of human trafficking, represent one of the biggest challenges we must face.”

Responding more effectively and predictably to the challenges of mixed movements requires a broader, whole-of-route approach. Applying innovative approaches to engage States to ensure international protection and solutions for refugees, while upholding rights and creating opportunities for migrants, along key routes, is critical.

At the core of this approach is a shift towards more humane and effective responses, concrete actions to counter smuggling and trafficking, and delivering better outcomes for those on the move, affected communities and States alike.

The route-based approach proposes a set of comprehensive, targeted and coordinated interventions to be taken by States, UNHCR, IOM, other UN agencies, civil society partners, migrant and refugee organizations and other stakeholders, along main routes in countries of origin, asylum, transit and destination. The interventions seek to reduce dangerous journeys and related human suffering and offer effective, rights-based alternatives to externalization proposals and expulsion practices, while helping States to manage the challenges around irregular movements, including return, in line with their international obligations.

The approach requires a shift towards a people centric approach, political commitments and willingness, including through funding where relevant, and to explore innovative ways of managing mixed movements of refugees and migrants..

The approach foresees cooperation and responsibility sharing and builds on the ambition of the New York Declaration, the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. It also engages with, and complements, important State- led and regional processes, and will require new, flexible fora to bring States together on concrete solutions for various categories of people engaged in mixed movements along specific routes.

1. The Need for a ‘Panoramic’ Approach to Mixed Movements, Opening Statement, ExCom 74
2. OpEd 'There is a Better Way' with Amy Pope (IOM) and Filippo Grandi
3. Remarks 'In Pursuit of the Possible: Addressing Population Flows in the Americas' at Georgetown University, Washington DC, 3 June 2024
4. Speech "The Narrative of Possibility" at the University of Nairobi, 24 June 2024

Asylum & Migration Section

Valerie Svobodova

Chief of Asylum and Migration Section

svobodov@unhcr.org