Posts tagged Research
VNG: WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN MIGRATION CONTEXTS - A call for a localisation agenda in urban migration
VNG: WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN MIGRATION CONTEXTS - A call for a localisation agenda in urban migration

August 2025

Migration management cannot happen without local governments (LGs), given their proximity to migrants and their mandate to provide service delivery and safe environments to their constituents. LGs understand local socio-spatial dynamics and are best placed to identify needs and solutions, implement policies and coordinate service delivery. Yet, they are not fully integrated into international organisations’ development and migration responses.

So what would it take to bring LGs to the centre of this agenda?

This position paper is built on a research project that sheds light on the role of local governments in migration contexts, to inform local and international stakeholders of the migration, humanitarian and development sectors.

The research was conducted in Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon and Uganda as well as at global level. The research team reviewed 54 documents written by academics and practitioners, and collected primary data in the form of 35 key informant interviews (KIIs), one focus group discussion (FGD) gathering 15 participants, 4 country-level validation workshops with VNG International’s teams, a stakeholder workshop gathering 17 participants from civil society, academia and the humanitarian sector, and an online survey with 25 responses, providing anecdotal evidence referenced in the research. Together, these tools took stock of existing forms of engagement between LGs and other stakeholders to identify gaps and good practices.

Download report here.

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Samuel HallVNG, Local government, Migrants, migration systems, iraq, kenya, Lebanon, Uganda, Research
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.

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Samuel HallForced labour, Ethics, ILO, Research, data collection