Ceci est une version HTML d'une pièce jointe de la demande d'accès à l'information 'Action Document for Helping Belarus Address the Phenomenon of Increasing Numbers of Irregular Migrants'.


Ref. Ares(2018)6549080 - 19/12/2018
ANNEX VI 
 
COMMUNICATION AND VISIBILITY PLAN 
 
Delegation Agreement 2017/389-418 
 
When implementing the Action “Helping Belarus Address the Phenomenon of Increasing 
Numbers of Irregular Migrants”
 IOM will pursue a robust Communication and Visibility 
Plan to ensure that project achievements and the support of the European Union (EU) are 
properly recognized. In all actions, IOM will follow the Communication and Visibility 
Manual for EU External Actions.1 
 
The Action is divided into three interlinked, interdependent components: 
•  Policy development and strengthening of legal, institutional and operational capacities  
•  Establishment of an Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) system for 
irregular migrants 
•  Establishment of MACs in line with EU and international standards and good 
practices  
 
The Action touches upon sensitive issues and requires carefully designed communication 
activities/products. 
 
 
A. Objectives 
 
1. Overall communication objectives 
 
The  overall objective of communication activities is to highlight the rationale and main 
achievements of the project in developing and implementing irregular migration and asylum 
policies and strategies of Belarus in compliance with international and EU standards. 
 
The objective is, in particular: 
 
•  To ensure target groups’ understanding of the rationale of the project, the difference 
between irregular migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, as well as good knowledge 
of the key issues addressed by the project (such as AVRR, MACs, readmission, 
open/closed facilities etc.) with a view to achieve proper communication and 
dissemination of credible information to the public 
•  To raise awareness among target groups about the main achievements of the project in 
developing and implementing the country’s irregular migration and asylum policies 
and strategies in compliance with international and EU standards 
•  To promote positive narrative of migration among the general public and mass media, 
with a particular focus on migrants’ rights. 
                                                 
1 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/communication_and_visibility_manual_en_0.pdf 
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2. Target groups and final beneficiaries for communication:  
 

•  Project target groups (those directly positively affected by the project at the Project 
Purpose level): The Ministry of the Interior (MoI) of the Republic of Belarus; the State 
Border Committee (SBC) the Republic of Belarus; policy makers; the Office of the 
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); the Belarusian 
Movement of Medical Workers (BMMW); Belarus Red Cross Society (BRC); 
Belarusian Young Christian Women Association (BYCWA).  
•  Final beneficiaries (those benefiting from the project in the long term at the level of 
the society or sector at large): migrants, especially the most vulnerable ones, including 
irregular migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees; residents of Belarus, particularly of 
the border regions; 
•   Governmental agencies and NGOs not directly involved in the project 
implementation but still related to migration field;  
•  General public;  
•  Media representatives and outlets
 
3.  Specific objectives for each target group, related to the action's objectives and the 
phases of the project cycle 
 
•  Raise awareness among the above-mentioned target groups on how the EU and IOM 
work together to develop and enhance the capacity of the Republic of Belarus in the 
sphere of irregular migration management 
•  Ensure that all target groups are aware of the role of the EU and IOM in the project at 
all levels; 
•  Raise awareness among governmental agencies not directly involved in the project 
implementation of the possibilities and advantages of partnerships with EU and EU 
support provided to the Republic of Belarus; 
•  Ensure that final beneficiaries understand how they will benefit from the project 
implementation;  
•  Ensure that the project has a positive impact on the perception of migrants and 
migration by the general public and media;  
•  Make sure that the public and media understand the rationale of the project (why it is 
implemented, why it is important for EU and Belarus) and its positive impact and 
contribution in general; 
•  Guarantee that media representatives understand the project purpose/rationale (why it 
is implemented, why it is important for EU and Belarus), role of EU and IOM in the 
project implementation, as well as the key issues addressed by the project (such as 
AVRR, MACs, readmission, open/closed facilities), and cover project activities 
providing credible information. 
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B. Communication Activities 
 
4. Main activities that will take place during the period covered by the Communication 
and Visibility Plan 

•  Project opening and closing ceremonies, including press conferences or other press 
events, inter alia press tours to MACs, as appropriate will be carried out to mark 
major developments and update stakeholders, public and media on the progress of 
MACs establishment; 
•  Press-releases will be issued on a regular basis to inform relevant above-mentioned 
target groups on the project purposes, developments and milestones; 
•  Regular updates of the websites and social networks will reflect the progress of the 
project implementation. 
 
5. Communication tools chosen:  
 

• 
Key messages related to the purpose of the project, its benefits and other matters will 
be developed by the PMT for further dissemination in order to ensure consistent 
communication at all levels 
• 
A series of educating/interactive events for mass media will be organized to ensure 
their understanding of all project-related termini and definitions, as well as 
understanding of the project’s objectives and benefits, role of all key actors involved, 
and correct presentation of the information related to the project activities. The events 
will be organized both during the inception phase of the project and during later 
stages, if needed.  
•  Forming a pool of journalists representing TV, radio, press and online media to 
work with on a long-term basis. 
•  Press events (press conferences, press briefings) to mark key achievements of the 
project and regularly update the mass media representatives.  
•  Press releases and joint statements by IOM, Government and/or the Donor to 
ensure common and proper understanding of the purpose of the project and its 
significance to Belarus. Due to the sensitivity of the topic, additional joint statements 
and press releases may be issued particularly in case of a need to ensure adequate and 
timely reaction to any misleading or wrong information that may be published or 
misinterpreted in the media.  
•  Spokesperson,  represented by the Chief of IOM Minsk Mission, or National 
Programme Officer, or Public Information Specialist who will a share information in 
a timely manner in coordination with the Project  Management Team, as appropriate. 
•  Regular updates of relevant websites (www.iom.by anhttp://euprojects.by)  as 
well as websites of partner agencies through uploading press-releases, articles, 
publications, leaflets, statements, etc. The Russian-English IOM Belarus website 
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with an average of 1200 unique visitors per month will allow to reach wider 
audience, thus contributing to the fulfilment of the Communication and Visibility 
Plan objectives. 
•  Official profiles of IOM and its partners in social networks to promote project 
results and achievements, inter alia through the following activities: 
-posting of photos and highlights videos illustrating key project activities and/or 
events; 
-‘tagging’ and ‘mentioning’ of all involved partner organizations, which will 
guarantee a wider outreach to the target audience through their official accounts 
-short-term campaigns consisting of a series of engaging posts dedicated to project 
matters and developed by a hired digital agency 
-involvement of national stakeholders in sharing and publishing posts on their 
official accounts in social networks. 
•  Project newsletter developed and shared with project partners as well as all other 
relevant agencies and organizations on regular basis agreed by the PMT. 
•  Developing a series of human stories about refugees and migrants, when 
appropriate, with a view to contribute to forming the positive perception of refugees, 
asylum-seekers, migrants and migration at large, through showing a human face of 
migration and possible production of an exhibition based on the stories to be further 
displayed at relevant places/venues 
•  Organization of discussions/debates at universities or other platforms on various 
migration-related issues with the involvement of competent NGOs in order to engage 
and educate the youth studying politics, journalism, international relationships and 
other relevant fields; 
•  Visibility and promotional materials developed and used during project events and 
other relevant meetings, acknowledging the contribution of the Donor.  
•  Promotion of project achievements and benefits for the target groups and public at 
large through the implementation of information campaigns under the project. 
•  Creation of videos on project matters (e.g. about MACs’ construction and operation) 
with the help of hired media production company to be further used during various 
project events, press-events, social-media, etc. 
•  Use of the existing IOM’s initiatives and campaigns such as “I am a migrant” 
campaign (www.iamamigrant.org) or Global Migration Film Festival 
(https://www.iom.int/global-migration-film-festival ) to raise and pay attention to 
project-related issues, such as good governance in the migration field, advantages of 
migration, etc. 
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6. Completion of the communication objectives 

 
All communication tools will be used based on the analysis of the context and the most 
effective channels in the given situation carried out by the PMT to ensure most efficient 
and most appropriate use of project funds in meeting the communication objectives.  
 
Due regard will be paid to the sensitivity of some of the project components. Should 
visibility and communication be not appropriate in certain cases, IOM will coordinate with 
the Donor to agree on a specific message, format or tool to be chosen.  
 
7. Provisions for feedback (when applicable) 
 

•  Target groups will be invited to provide feedback on newsletters, promotional 
materials and other visibility events to further streamline key messages. 
 
Recommendations made by the beneficiaries and partners will be used to make 
relevant adjustments to the communication activities to follow.  
•  Media articles mentioning the project and related activities, especially building of 
MACs, will be regularly monitored, collected and analysed by IOM with a view to 
adjust the communication strategy and/or ensure prompt and adequate reaction to 
inquiries from the media, public, civil society and other stakeholders.   
 
C. Resources 
 
8. Human Resources 

•  The PMT will be involved in designing, producing communication tools and 
implementing communication activities in line with the project staff responsibilities 
set forth by the project management structure, as well as in accordance with the 
project implementation plan  
•  Advertising, digital and media production agencies may also be involved to produce 
specific products, if appropriate.  
•  The PMT will also encourage local partners, including project beneficiaries, to take a 
proactive role in the implementation of communication activities envisaged in the 
framework of the project. 
•  A spokesperson(s) will take an active role in the dissemination of information on 
project-related matters, ensuring timely reaction to media requests  
 
9. Financial resources 
 
Communication and visibility expenditures will be financed under the budget of the Action. 
 
The Communication and Visibility Plan may be revised in course of the implementation 
period of the action in order to more effectively contribute to the project objectives, fulfill 
relevant contractual obligations as well as address the sensitivities involved.  
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Document Outline