Publications — Samuel Hall

Publications — Samuel Hall

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Posts by Samuel Hall

PACES: Decisions to stay and migrate in Algeria, Ethiopia and Nigeria, Scoping studies for the PACES project

PACES: Decisions to stay and migrate in Algeria, Ethiopia and Nigeria, Scoping studies for the PACES project

April 2024

Knowledge and understanding of people's decision to migrate is critical for policymakers' ability to develop migration policies.

The EU-funded PACES project – Making migration and migration policy decisions amidst societal transformations focuses on two parallel research components: the factors shaping migration decisionmaking and the mechanisms supporting migration policies. The project will combine theoretical and empirical knowledge from several academic disciplines and methodological paradigms to systematically investigate the interactions between migration decisions, policies, and broader social transformation.

PACES draws on data collected in Algeria, Ethiopia, Italy, Libya, Nigeria, Slovakia, and Spain to elaborate a heuristic model that identifies different constellations of conditions that influence decisions to stay and migrate at various stages of individual life trajectories and migrant journeys. This report presents three scoping studies carried out to examine and select the six research locations (secondary cities) in Algeria, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

Within this component, we explore how people’s decisions to stay and migrate are influenced by societal changes, individual life experiences and migration policies over time and as people move across different locations. We pay particular attention to the role of people's perceptions of their social and personal situation, as well as their values and expectations, as determining factors in decisions to stay or emigrate.

Read full report here.

Samuel HallApril 30, 2024Algeria, EU, ETHIOPIA, Italy, Libya, Nigeria, Slovakia, Spain, Migration, migration policies, PACES

IIED: City Note - Urban Solutions For Local Integration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

IIED: City Note - Urban Solutions For Local Integration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

February 2024

With recent political developments, refugees in Addis Ababa face numerous challenges in terms of livelihoods, basic services and protection. Their legal status remains a concern, as do government officials’ gaps in awareness about refugee rights and state obligations.

In Ethiopia, our study with IIED for the Protracted Displacement in Urban World project focussed on Eritrean refugees and hosts living in Addis Ababa and Eritrean refugees Semera Logia town and Aysaita camp. Quantitative surveys of 365 refugees and 153 hosts living in Gofa Mebrat Haile condominium, and 372 refugees in Semera Logia and 366 Asyaita camp were supplemented by 150 qualitative interviews in the three locations. The participatory forums were organised by research partners DICAC and MCMDO, with support from Samuel Hall and Cardiff University.

Discussions moved towards planning for city resourcing at a time of need, because allocations for refugees have been mainly targeted at camps, with very limited urban funding. Addis Ababa forum participants agree that hosting refugees requires human and financial/material capacity. This calls for a more holistic approach to urban displacement, starting in the capital and scaled across Ethiopia. The government’s Refugees and Returnees Service has committed to working more closely with city authorities. Participants committed to raising awareness among officials and civilians, and to involving both the host communities and refugees in the design of interventions.

Read here

Samuel HallFebruary 20, 2024

KNOMAD: Youth Migration & Development: A New Lens For Critical Times

KNOMAD: Youth Migration & Development: A New Lens For Critical Times

January 2024

Supported by World Bank and its TWG on youth & migration co-chaired by OECD & UNDP; Samuel Hall's paper with KNOMAD, “Youth Migration & Development: A New Lens for Critical Times”, aims to empirically validate conclusions in KOMADs scoping paper produced in 2022.

With case studies from Columbia, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, Senegal, Thailand and Tunisia, the study employed innovative qualitative research methods, filling crucial research gaps and re-conceptualising ‘youth’ and ‘migration’ through the perspectives of the young people.

Through this study, we aimed to better understand how youth migrant integration behaviour differs across age cohorts, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and countries of origin and between migrants and non-migrants.

Download here

Read our scoping paper from 2022 here

Samuel HallFebruary 1, 2024youth migration, Migration, displacement, Case study, Youth development

JLMP: Access To Justice and Gender-Responsive Reporting Mechanisms for Migrant Workers- A practical Guide for State Authorities

JLMP: Access To Justice and Gender-Responsive Reporting Mechanisms for Migrant Workers- A practical Guide for State Authorities

The Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) is a long-term joint initiative of the African Union, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in coordination with relevant partners operating on the African continent, development cooperation actors, private sector organisations and civil society organisations (CSOs).

This Practical Guide offers instructions and a step-by-step process to develop a State-led accessible, rights-based and gender-responsive reporting mechanism for women and men migrant workers. It provides clear instructions for concerned State authorities to understand how to set up and run a State-led reporting mechanism that is gender-responsive and maximises safety and effectiveness.

Moreover, this guide has been informed by and aligned with the main standard setting documents and frameworks on the subject, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, AU Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers and the AU Guidelines on Developing Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs), as well as the African Union’s Migration Policy Framework for Africa (AU MPFA 2018-2030) and the United Nations Guiding principles on business and human rights.

Read full report here.

Samuel HallJanuary 30, 2024Migrants, Africa, Refugees, Malawi, Morocco, Cote D'Ivoire, ILO, IOM, UNECA, CSOs, GENDER

JLMP: Access to justice and reporting mechanisms for migrant workers: Assessment of Challenges and Opportunities across five JLMP Action Member States

JLMP: Access to justice and reporting mechanisms for migrant workers: Assessment of Challenges and Opportunities across five JLMP Action Member States

Over 80 per cent of the labour migration flows of African nationals have been intraregional and occurred within the African continent. When it is well-governed, labour migration can provide many benefits to countries of origin and destination via economic growth, social and financial remittances, market development, and skills exchange. In the context of a surge of cross-country labour mobility, however, the risks for migrant workers to suffer discrimination and abuse also increase.

Against this backdrop, and under the Catalytic Actions for the Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP Action), the African Union Commission (AUC), working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), is providing technical support to its Member States on improving access to justice and strengthening institutional mechanisms for migrant workers.

The objective of this research was to map and identify the challenges that both migrant workers and national authorities may face when managing complaints to develop a sustainable, gender-responsive, and accessible reporting mechanism for both men and women migrant workers, in the five JLMP Action target Member States, namely Cameroun, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Morocco, employing a human rights-based approach and gender lens.

Read full report here.

Samuel HallJanuary 30, 2024JLMP, Africa, Cameroon, Malawi, Morocco, Cote D'Ivoire, Migrants, Gender

WUSC: Situational Analysis Access to Secondary Education and Economic Activities of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia

WUSC: Situational Analysis Access to Secondary Education and Economic Activities of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia

January 2024

Did you know that Ethiopia is experiencing a significant rise in internally displaced persons (IDPs), reaching a staggering 4.4 million by June 2023?

The situation has worsened due to a prolonged drought, the far-reaching effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and escalating tensions in northern Ethiopia. These factors have intensified health and socio-economic challenges, forcing thousands of households to relocate within the country's borders.

In response to this, the Displaced and Refugee Youth Enabling Environment Mechanism (DREEM) project is working towards creating an inclusive environment for refugee and displaced youth, with a focus on empowering young women to fully engage in society.

Samuel Hall conducted a situational analysis on IDPs in Ethiopia, focusing on their access to secondary education and economic opportunities. We found that challenges such as long distances to schools, overcrowded classrooms, language barriers, and poor hygienic conditions are daily obstacles. Innovative ICT-driven programs and structural initiatives like TVET, micro-credit opportunities, formal employment incentives, and infrastructure projects are essential.

Find out more of our findings and recommendations in our report.

Download here

Samuel HallJanuary 29, 2024ETHIOPIA, situational analysis, East Africa, Education

ADSP: Challenges Faced by Afghan Women and Children in Iran and Pakistan

ADSP: Challenges Faced by Afghan Women and Children in Iran and Pakistan

December 2023

Samuel Hall collaborated with the Asia Displacement Solutions Platform (ADSP) to contribute to two significant research briefs addressing pressing issues Afghan communities face. The first, "Forced to Migrate: Afghan Women Waiting for Protection in Iran and Pakistan," explores the reduced protection space and obstacles confronting Afghan families in the same regions The second, "Afghan Children’s Access to Education in Iran and Pakistan," sheds light on the challenges experienced by Afghan girls in Iran and Pakistan post-2021 migration.

These research briefs are pivotal in understanding the complexities of education rights and forced migration challenges in these regions. Our studies emphasize the urgent need for international support and a rights-based response. A key recommendation emerging from our research is the call for increased global solidarity and responsibility sharing to address the rights of Afghan women, children, and families.

Read the briefing note on Forced to Migrate: Afghan Women Waiting for Protection in Iran and Pakistan, here

Read the briefing note on Afghan Children’s Access to Education in Iran and Pakistan here

Middle East &North AfricaSamuel HallJanuary 11, 2024ADSP, women's safety, children, migration, displacement, Education

ILO: Ethical guidelines for research on child labour

ILO: Ethical guidelines for research on child labour

January 2024

Samuel Hall, in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine have formulated Ethical Guidelines for Research on Child Labour, setting a new benchmark for safeguarding children's rights in research; funded by the United States Department of Labor.

The guidelines underscore the urgency of ethical considerations in researching child labour, emphasising a "do no harm" principle, informed consent, and the importance of respecting children's rights and dignity.

Designed as a practical toolkit, the guidelines offer researchers clear methodologies for ethical decision-making, ensuring that the welfare of child participants is always prioritised.

Offering an ‘Ethical Checklist’ for all phases of the research; they serve as a compass guiding researchers through the ethical complexities of data collection, analysis, and dissemination, ensuring that the welfare of child participants is at the forefront.

These guidelines also offer a comprehensive toolkit for researchers, featuring decision trees - to navigate consent processes in situations where obtaining consent may be complex. They also include strategies for anonymising data to protect children's identities while still allowing for impactful research outcomes.

These guidelines aim to inspire a shift towards research methodologies that not only generate valuable insights but also protect and empower child participants. Read through these by clicking on the link and scroll through a summary of our ethical checklist during various phases of research.

Read full report here.

Samuel HallJanuary 1, 2024Child labour, Ethics, ethical guidelines, research, toolkit, ILO, Ethical considerations

ILO: Ethical guidelines for research on forced labour

ILO: Ethical guidelines for research on forced labour

January 2024

Samuel Hall, in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine have formulated Ethical Guidelines for Research on Forced Labour, setting a new benchmark and framework for safeguarding forced migrants’ rights in research; funded by the United States Department of Labor.

The guidelines provide a clear framework for addressing the complex ethical considerations in forced labour research, focusing on informed consent, privacy, and harm reduction. They serve as a guide for ethical research practices, ensuring the protection and respect of participants within this sensitive area of study.

Offering an ‘Ethical Checklist’ for all phases of the research; they serve as a compass guiding researchers through the ethical complexities of data collection, analysis, and dissemination, ensuring that the welfare of child participants is at the forefront.

These guidelines serve as a toolkit for researchers, encapsulating decision trees, checklists, and strategies for ethical dilemmas. They are designed to inspire a shift towards methodologies that not only generate insights but also protect and empower participants, particularly those at risk of or affected by forced labour.

Read full report here.

Samuel HallJanuary 1, 2024Forced labour, Ethics, ILO, Research, data collection

Equal Partnerships: Creating Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Address Urban Migration and Displacement in African Intermediary Cities

Equal Partnerships: Creating Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Address Urban Migration and Displacement in African Intermediary Cities

January 2024

African local governments are increasingly experiencing core issues of migration and displacement and their cities are directly impacted by (inter)national policies and (the absence of) funding flows. Nevertheless, national policymakers, international organizations and donors rarely consider local governments as relevant partners to address mixed migration. These cooperation gaps are problematic since human mobility plays an important role for African intermediary cities’ physical, social, and economic urban planning. Networked approaches could help bridging such cooperation gaps and breaking up policy silos. To explore opportunities and challenges of multi-stakeholder partnerships for urban migration governance the Equal Partnerships project organized participatory research, workshops, and networking formats with six cities in East, West and North Africa. This policy paper presents central recommendations for collaborative urban migration governance addressed to local and national governments, civil society, migrant and refugee associations, international organizations, private sector actors, and donors.

Read here

Samuel HallJanuary 1, 2024policy, Policy paper, Africa, urban migration, refugee

Equal Partnerships: African Intermediary Cities as Actors and Partners in Urban Migration Governance. City Report: Sfax, Tunisa

Equal Partnerships: African Intermediary Cities as Actors and Partners in Urban Migration Governance. City Report: Sfax, Tunisa

November 2023

The Equal Partnerships project led by Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg, Research on Migration, Displacement, and Integration (MFI), United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and Samuel Hall with support from Robert Bosch Stiftung explores the opportunities and challenges of collaborative, urban migration governance in African intermediary cities.

As part of this project, Samuel Hall developed a city report exploring urban migration governance in Sfax, Tunisia.

Tunisia’s second-largest city, Sfax is an important economic centre connecting the north and south of the country. While the city experiences rural-urban, inter-regional, and international migration; the increasingly difficult socio-economic situation, financial constraints, gender dynamics, the absence of a national migration strategy as well as the politicisation of mobility issues has resulted in unique implications on migration dynamics in Sfax.

To create an overview of activities, partnerships, and cooperation gaps, the Equal Partnerships project developed participatory field research and organised a local workshop with the support of the municipality of Sfax in January and February 2023.

The case study situates Sfax in the national and regional migration context, presents the outcomes of the stakeholder mapping, identifies opportunities and challenges of cooperative action on migration and concludes with concrete policy recommendations for strengthening multi-stakeholder action on urban migration and displacement.

Read the city report here
Find other city reports, developed as part of this project here.

Read our policy paper here.

Middle East &North AfricaSamuel HallNovember 16, 2023Equal Partnerships, Tunisia, Governance, case study, Urban Migration, urban displacement

Equal Partnerships: African Intermediary Cities as Actors and Partners in Urban Migration Governance. City Report: Garissa- Kenya

Equal Partnerships: African Intermediary Cities as Actors and Partners in Urban Migration Governance. City Report: Garissa- Kenya

November 2023

The Equal Partnerships project led by Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg, Research on Migration, Displacement, and Integration (MFI), United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and Samuel Hall with support from Robert Bosch Stiftung explores the opportunities and challenges of collaborative, urban migration governance in African intermediary cities.

As part of this project, Samuel Hall developed a city report exploring urban migration governance in Garissa, Kenya. Home to approximately 500,000 inhabitants, Garissa is a major economic hub. It holds significance in urban migration and displacement, especially in relation to regional conflicts, economic dynamics, climate change, and environmental decline.

We conducted a stakeholder mapping exercise to take stock of actors addressing migration and displacement . Further, to explore partnerships and cooperation gaps and opportunities, we conducted participatory field research with the county of Garissa and organised a local workshop in June 2022 and February 2023. Our research found that multiple actors cooperate on migration and displacement-related issues.

This report presents the outcomes of the stakeholder mapping, identifies opportunities and challenges of cooperative action on migration, and concludes with concrete policy recommendations for strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships to address migration in the urban context.

Read the city report here

Find other city reports developed as part of this project here.

Read our policy paper here.

East & Southern AfricaSamuel HallNovember 16, 2023Equal Partnerships, report, Migration, displacement, Kenya, Urban

UNICEF Innocenti - As They Move: Child and Youth Experiences of Migration, Displacement and Return in Afghanistan

UNICEF Innocenti - As They Move: Child and Youth Experiences of Migration, Displacement and Return in Afghanistan

October 2023

What has happened to the thousands of children who fled Afghanistan since the fall of Kabul 2021, and what awaits those forced to return? At Samuel Hall, we have been documenting post-return outcomes for 14 years. This latest collaboration with UNICEF Innocenti seeks to amplify the voices of Afghan children who recount difficult journeys, hardship, and neglect as well as resilience.

Thousands of Afghan children have been forced to return to Afghanistan to a situation either similar to or worse than the one they left. One 17-year-old boy we spoke to said, “To me, coming back to Afghanistan means struggling with life and living a poor life because there are no employment opportunities and a proper governance system to support you.”

Samuel Hall led the data collection at one of the most challenging times in the country’s history - after the fall of Kabul - and a team of scholars authored the final report. Our combined efforts underscore the urgent need for child-sensitive interventions and a call to uphold the rights of Afghan child migrants, first and foremost as children who need access to safer pathways both in and out of Afghanistan. No child, no adult, should be forced to return to Afghanistan at this time. UNHCR has made clear that those who do not wish to return to Afghanistan should not be forced to return.

Download Full Report Here

Samuel HallOctober 9, 2023As They Move, Child Migration, Reintergration, Afghanistan, Migration

IOM, UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, NRC: Documentation and Legal Identity in Afghanistan

IOM, UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, NRC: Documentation and Legal Identity in Afghanistan

August 2023

Access to legal identity is essential for Afghans to overcome mobility and protection challenges. Yet, the majority of Afghans do not possess passports or other vital civil documents like tazkiras. Since August 2021, it has become even harder to obtain identification and civil registration documents due to rising costs, office closures, staff shortages, and confusing procedures.

To assess the current civil documentation and identity management landscape in Afghanistan and provide actionable recommendations to enhance the protection of all Afghans across the country, Samuel Hall worked with the International Organization for Migration,UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, and NRC and the Interagency Working Group on Legal Identity (TWG) to publish a research study that provides the latest updates on this issue of rights in Afghanistan.

The study investigated civil documentation and identity management in Afghanistan, with a focus on accessibility to essential services and the acceptance of legal documents within Afghan society. It also aimed to identify opportunities for addressing these challenges and supporting the Afghan population.

Download Executive Summary Here

Download Full Report Here

Download Research Brief here

Samuel HallAugust 14, 2023Afghanistan, Civil rights, UNICEF, civil documentation

IOM : Mapping and research to strengthen protection and assistance measures for migrants with diverse SOGIESC

IOM : Mapping and research to strengthen protection and assistance measures for migrants with diverse SOGIESC

August 2023

The study was commissioned by IOM under the Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Solutions initiative (COMPASS) to Samuel Hall who conducted a study in the Asia & Pacific region, European Economic Area, MENA, South America and West & Central Africa to support the development of inclusive measures for migrants with diverse SOGIESC to benefit from protection programming across their migration journey, as well as in return and reintegration.

The results are clear: Migrants with diverse SOGIESC have unique protection needs. Unfortunately, there is a lack of knowledge, services, and appropriate responses for these migrants, partly due to stereotyped expectations about their lifestyles and behaviours. The study also indicates that transgenders are the most vulnerable across different stages of the migration cycle.

Urgent action is needed! Through our report, we are pushing for inclusive shelters, accessible healthcare, and protection procedures to ensure NO ONE gets left behind. We are also encouraging good practices like partnerships between international organisations, local municipalities and civil society groups should be scaled up to ensure support and care for the community.

Download Executive Summary Here

Download Global Report Here

Samuel HallAugust 3, 2023South america, Central africa, Migrants, Migrations, Community focused

War Child UK: Children in Distress - An Afghan Child Focused Needs Assessment

War Child UK: Children in Distress - An Afghan Child Focused Needs Assessment

July 2023

Samuel Hall in collaboration with War Child Afghanistan conducted a needs assessment in Herat, Ghor and Badghis to contribute towards closing the knowledge gaps on the situation of children’s rights and well-being in western Afghanistan. The study brings to light, new evidence – including from children – on the challenges they face in previously inaccessible districts.

The findings show that children need informed and trained advocates to access support and overcome negative coping mechanisms. It is also important for households to address risks and bad choices while also creating safe spaces for children. The research underlined the potential for informal forms of support within the household. Home-centred models of support hold a potential for broader reach benefiting at risk children. It further suggests the need for safer home environments to facilitate these.

We suggest integrating child protection services into existing health and other programming, with a focus on child-friendly PSS work. There is an urgent need to influence local decision makers and build their understanding of children’s rights and also revive the Child Protection Action Network (CPAN).

Download Research Brief Here

Samuel HallJuly 28, 2023Afghanistan, children, CPAN, Child rights

British Red Cross: Onward Bound — Evaluating Cash and Voucher Assistance for Migrants on Sahel's Migration Trail

British Red Cross: Onward Bound — Evaluating Cash and Voucher Assistance for Migrants on Sahel's Migration Trail

July 2023

Cash and voucher assistance (CVA) can play a significant role in migration programming by providing support and empowering individuals or families who are migrating to meet their needs.

Recognising the value of granting migrants greater autonomy in meeting their immediate needs, humanitarian actors are increasingly turning to cash assistance. Its flexibility has proven effective in supporting migrants' ever-changing circumstances, but its use remains limited.

To better understand the opportunities and challenges of integrating CVA into migration programming, Samuel Hall, in collaboration with the British Red Cross, conducted a study focused on transit migration in the Sahel region—Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mauritania.

Despite their relevance, targeted cash assistance programmes for transit migrants are scarce, resulting in limited impact on their livelihoods. This is partly due to the perception that CVA would influence migrants’ decisions - a perception that evidence collected as part of this research strongly debunks.

To address these challenges, a shift is urgently needed from a country-based approach to a journey-based approach in planning CVA interventions in the Sahel region.

Download Report Here - EN, FR

Download Annexes Here - EN, FR

Migration & DisplacementSamuel HallJuly 14, 2023evaluation, Redcross, Financial infrustructure

MIGNEX: Comparative Experiences of Transit Migration Management

MIGNEX: Comparative Experiences of Transit Migration Management

June 2023

As part of the MIGNEX (Aligning Migration Management and the Migration–Development Nexus) consortium, Samuel Hall contributed to a background paper on ‘Comparative experiences of transit migration management’.

The text engages critically with the concept of transit migration and identifies key patterns of transit migration management at global, regional and country level. Through comparative analysis it examines the transit migration routes and policies of four countries: Turkey, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Pakistan.

According to Samuel Hall’s findings, transit migrants face a number of challenges, including exploitation, violence, detention, and lack of access to basic services.

As a way forward the background paper invites more research into discerning the impact of transit migration management on individual countries, on state and non-state actors, and on migrants themselves along migration routes.

Devising policy suggestions that will lead to a fairer distribution of responsibility to address protection needs in so-called ‘transit countries’ is also crucial.

Download Here

Samuel HallJune 29, 2023Europe, transit migration, Turkey, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Migration management, policy

IOM: Monitoring the Reintegration of Trafficking Survivors - Study & Toolkit

IOM: Monitoring the Reintegration of Trafficking Survivors - Study & Toolkit

June 2023

Samuel Hall in collaboration with IOM - UN Migration – presents findings from a study undertaken with 100 trafficking survivors and 40 individuals across Bangladesh, Nigeria, Republic of Moldova and Tunisia with ties to or expertise in reintegration programming. Through this study, we introduce a toolkit to monitor, and not evaluate, trafficking survivors’ reintegration experiences.

This monitoring report and toolkit aim to identify factors impacting the reintegration of trafficking victims. The report provides best practices for effective support provision, capturing individual understandings and reintegration priorities. The toolkit equips organisations with tools to strengthen the evidence base on successful reintegration, addressing a critical gap in supporting VoTs.

Download Here

Samuel HallJune 6, 2023ILO, trafficking, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Republic of Moldova, Tunisia, human trafficking