Repository of Practices
Gender-Migration Index (GMI)
Secondary GCM Objectives
Dates
Geographic scope
Geographic Scope:
Summary
The Gender-Migration Index (GMI) is a policy guidance tool that centers lived experiences of women, girl, LGBTQIA+, and gender diverse migrants by strengthening civil society engagement in international review processes. The Index is based on an indicator system that ensures gender-responsiveness and migrant-inclusion in benchmarking policy, particularly in regards to monitoring and evaluation. Through a multi-stakeholder approach, the GMI shrinks spaces between migrant communities and governing bodies and promotes dialogue and information-sharing by facilitating feedback and consultation mechanisms. The GMI is premised on participatory action research. Based on a paradigm to democratize knowledge production in policy, the GMI emphasizes participation and action by members of communities affected by the research - and policy - namely migrant communities and organizations working with migrant communities. As part of these efforts, the Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice analyzes the Overall and Policy Indicators, while migrant communities and organizations working with migrant communities analyze the Migration Experience Indicators. This three-part indicator structure informs collective engagement in international review processes. The application of the GMI is thus co-curated (methodology) with a concrete research-action trajectory that may result in varied outcomes (reports, policy briefs, campaigns, etc.). We launched the GMI during the 2022 International Migration Review Forum to ensure gender-responsiveness and migrant-inclusion in the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM). In developing the GMI, several sample case studies were conducted on Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on the GCM submitted by countries across different regions in order to offer comparative insights on gender-responsiveness at the global level. We have since completed the overall gender-responsiveness analysis for all countries across regions that submitted VNRs and have begun the analysis of Policy Indicators and Migration Experience Indicators. The GMI’s indicator system builds on the IOM’s Migration Governance Indicators and the UN Women’s Minimum Set of Gender Indicators. It is complementary to other efforts such as the Gender + Migration Hub and UN Women’s “Policies and Practice: A Guide to Gender-Responsive Implementation of the GCM.”
Organizations
Main Implementing Organization(s)
Benefit and Impact
Since its launch, we have trained more than 50 GMI Researchers and have offered GMI Partner Trainings to more than 100 participants (migrant communities and organizations working with migrant communities). Trainings are readily available upon request and can be completed within two hours.
Additionally, we have also introduced the GMI across UN platforms such as the annual High-Level Political Forum, the International Forum on Migration Statistics, the UNECE Regional Forum, the IOM’s Migration Lunchtime Seminar, and the UN Civil Society Conference. The GMI was featured in UN publications such as the IOM’s Migration Policy Practice Journal, the WHO’s report on the Third Global Consultation on the Health of Refugees and Migrants, and the UN University’s policy brief “Towards Gender-Responsive Migration Governance.”
Given the versatility of the Index in ensuring gender-responsiveness and migrant-inclusion in policy, the GMI is not only applicable in the field of migration governance, but also in the field of gender governance. The GMI has been successfully applied in review processes of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Also, with the Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice’s new role as the first-ever NGO focal point to the Committee on Migrant Workers Rights, the application of the tool will expand into this context.
Key Lessons
Moving forward, and as the application of the GMI will continue to expand, we anticipate further adjustments as needed and remain open to lessons learned along the way.
Recommendations(if the practice is to be replicated)
“Using the Gender-Migration Index has given us at Newcomer Women's Services Toronto a chance to reflect on our work. Engaging in this process was a valuable opportunity for us as a partner organization, as we gained new insights into policy-labour market connections, the role of migration statuses, and intersecting gender dynamics.” – Dr. Norin Taj, Newcomer Women's Services Toronto (GMI Partner)
“Taking a gender perspective in health is fundamental for recognising inequities and disparities to ensure tailored and effective health provision for all migrants. The Gender-Migration Index (GMI) helps us to do so.” – Osita Kingsley Odo, CMGJ Research and Advocacy Fellow (GMI Researcher)
We invite you to reach out to us to schedule a training (two hours) and consider a collaboration with us in applying the GMI in efforts to center migrants’ lived experiences in policy mechanisms. Our GMI Toolkit is available on our website, including case study examples and templates for reference.
Innovation
• presents a replicable and sustainable framework to ensure gender-responsiveness and migrant-inclusion in policy
• strengthens the engagement of civil society in policy planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
• builds multi-stakeholder capacity to effectively engage in international review processes
• promotes dialogue and information sharing amongst stakeholders
• establishes mechanisms for feedback and consultation between migrant communities and governing bodies
• provides indicator criteria for benchmarking policy that can be used by stakeholders for ongoing policy planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
As such, the GMI is innovative and scalable, as we have applied the Index across the following international review processes:
● United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW)
● United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (UN CEDAW)
● United Nations High Level Political Forum (UN HLPF)
● United Nations Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (UN CMW)
● United Nations Global Refugee Forum (GCR)
● United Nations International Migration Review Forum (GCM)
Additional Resources
Media
Lara-Zuzan Golesorkhi: The Gender-Migration Index
Date submitted:
Disclaimer: The content of this practice reflects the views of the implementers and does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, the United Nations Network on Migration, and its members.
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Peer Reviewer Feedback:
*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
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