Migration Task Force 12 January 2011 Progress Report on the Development of Instruments and Prospects of Implementation of Coordinated Household International Migration Surveys in the Mediterranean Countries (MED-HIMS) Document jointly prepared by EUROSTAT, MEDSTAT III, the World Bank and UNHCR 6 January 2011 This project is funded by the European Union This project is implemented by: ADETEF MEDSTAT III 5, place des Vins de France 75573 Paris Cedex 12 France Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 44 25 60 / 22 84 / 22 88 Fax: +33 (0)1 53 44 22 90
Table of contents A. Background... 2 B. Summary overview of MQs and related manuals... 2 C. Ongoing and future activities... 4 D. Funding for the implementation of the surveys... 5 Annex 1 - Main outcomes on the review of the Model Questionnaires (MQs) and related issues from the MED-HIMS Panel Meeting held in Luxembourg on 3-4 May 2010... 5 Annex 2 - Main outcomes on the review of the Model Questionnaires (MQs) and related issues from the Panel Meetings held in Paris on 10-11 and 14 December 2010... 6 1
A. Background 1. In a regional workshop organized by the MEDSTAT II Programme in Wiesbaden in March 2008, a number of participating countries (1) called for the implementation of a household migration survey to overcome the lack of data on international migration from the MED region by collecting reliable and representative data on the characteristics and behaviour of migrants. The workshop also requested MEDSTAT II to develop Model Questionnaires (MQs) that could be used for coordinated Mediterranean Household International Migration Surveys to be undertaken under a new project (MED-HIMS). 2. Following these recommendations, Project Documents for conducting such surveys were prepared by the national statistical offices (NSIs) in Egypt, Jordan, the occupied Palestinian territory and Syria with direct assistance by MEDSTAT II experts. These project documents included a request for technical assistance and external funding from the EC and/or other donors. The four countries also agreed that these migration surveys should be implemented within a regional coordinated survey programme. Interest in the proposed MED-HIMS was expressed later by Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. 3. The development of the framework and the first draft of the MQs for MED-HIMS was discussed in three regional workshops held in Brussels, Cairo and Marrakech from February to September 2009, the latter in parallel with the XXVI IUSSP International Population Conference. The work was undertaken by MEDSTAT II in collaboration with the MED NSIs, EUROSTAT and the World Bank. Consultations were also held with several other European Commission services dealing with migration, UNHCR, ESCWA, ISTAT-Italy, INE-Spain and some research and academic centres in the Euro-Mediterranean Region including HCP/CERED and CARIM. 4. The draft MQs available at that stage were used, following adaptation to national needs in the Palestinian National Migration Survey of spring 2010, which was undertaken by PCBS with financial support from the UN and EC. 5. Following the start of MEDSTAT III in May 2010, a MED-HIMS Coordination Meeting was held with participation of Eurostat, MEDSTAT III, The World Bank and UNHCR. The meeting established a Manuals Panel for supervising the further methodological work. Therefore, the adaptation of MQs to the proposal presented by UNHCR and the preparation of the first set of survey manuals were launched under funding made available by UNHCR. Later during 2010, the World Bank has activated a grant for the purposes of supporting the preparation of other manuals and capacity building measures towards the development of the survey methodology and tools and the organisation of the surveys in a number of MED countries. B. Summary overview of MQs and related manuals 6. The proposed MQs for MED-HIMS aim to collect data in the Mediterranean countries on the determinants and consequences of international migration focusing in particular on outmigration, return migration, forced migration and intentions to migrate, as well as on circular migration, migration of highly-skilled persons, irregular migration, type and use of remittances, behaviours, attitudes, perceptions and cultural values of people with regard to international 1 Since 2006 the MEDSTAT Programme covers Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the occupied Palestinian territory, Syria and Tunisia. 2
migration. Information on socio-economic status of the household and on characteristics of local communities in sample areas will also be gathered. The MED-HIMS project will thus aim to overcome the lack of data on international migration from the MED-region by collecting reliable and representative multi-topic, multi-level, retrospective and comparative data on the characteristics and behaviour of migrants. 7. The MQs are designed to meet a number of objectives which may be summarized as follows: - To collect data in order to understand the nature of MED-migration and the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of migrants; - To collect data on migration histories and the migration experiences and practices, including the case of forced migration (the migration asylum nexus, secondary movements, conditions in host countries, returns and intentions of refugees and people in need of international protection); - To collect data on migration intentions and potential destination; - To assess the impact of migration on household socio-economic behaviour and practices; - To assess the impact of remittances and their utilization and their impact on socioeconomic development in the MED-region; - To assess the impact of migration on unemployment and labour dynamics; - To assess the impact of migration on the skill-level of return migrants; - To assess the overall awareness of migration issues and practices; - To assess migrants future plans; - To elucidate the processes leading to the decision to migrate; - To evaluate the effectiveness of governmental interventions aiming at preventing illegal migration; - To develop specific methodologies for collecting and analyzing international migration data; and - To improve data utilization by promoting and encouraging their use by planners, policy makers, and managers of international migration and development programmes. 8. The MQs being developed include the following seven questionnaires: MQ-1: The Household Questionnaire MQ-2: Individual Questionnaire for Out-migrant MQ-3: Individual Questionnaire for Return Migrant MQ-4: Individual Questionnaire for Non-migrant MQ-5: Individual Questionnaire for Forced Migrant MQ-6: The Household Socio-economic and Environmental Conditions Questionnaire MQ-7: The Community Characteristics Questionnaire 9. The experts participating in the workshops and development of MQs have discussed at length a number of fundamental issues, including responding to both national and international data requirements, the criteria for eligibility for the various survey interviews, the concept of multilevel eligibility, the formulation of specific questions, the classifications and coding of variables to be applied, and the proposed sampling and data collection procedures. 10. 10. For all participating countries, the MED-HIMS will make the following manuals available: M1 - Model Questionnaires M2 - Survey Design and Organization Manual M3 - Instructions to Supervisors M4 - Instructions to Interviewers 3
M5 - Manual on Sample Design M6 - Coding and Recode Specifications Manual M7 - Manual on Guidelines for Principal Country Report: Part 1: Statistical Tabulations Part 2: Data Analysis C. Ongoing and future activities 11. According to the MED-HIMS Panel and Coordination meetings held in mid-december 2010 in Paris the current draft versions of M1, M2 and M3 should be discussed with the MED experts in the MED-HIMS Regional Workshop scheduled in Brussels on 13-14 January 2011 and finalised during the following few weeks. M4, M5 and M6 will be prepared before another regional workshop on the survey instruments and methodology preliminarily scheduled in June 2011, while M7 will be available by the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012. 12. The organisation and implementation of the MED-HIMS in the different countries will depend on the different degree of readiness of the NSIs of the MED countries, their current workload, and future operations, in particular plans for population censuses. The Palestinian Authority carried out the survey in summer 2010, and their experience will provide useful insight for the others. For the other countries, two phases of implementation are now tentatively proposed: the first covering four countries in the Middle-East (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria), and the second covering the three Maghreb countries (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), with data collection taking place in summer 2012 and 2013 in the two groups of countries respectively. 13. Given these recent developments, it is now necessary to secure the funding required for implementing the survey and start organising the survey operations in selected countries in the second half of 2011. Based on the current availability of financial support provided by MEDSTAT III and the World Bank and what can be expected from the UNHCR and other international institutions as well as the MED countries, the last coordination meeting has identified the following steps towards the implementation of the first phase: - Development of the Project Document for the MED-HIMS Programme, including the budget and the establishment of a MED-HIMS Central Implementation Unit responsible for managing such a regional survey programme and providing technical assistance; - Updating the national project documents previously prepared in 2008 for Egypt, Jordan and Syria, and preparing the project document for Lebanon by September 2011, - Organisation of national workshops and TA missions to the participating countries for the adaptation of the MQs to national needs and preparing the sampling design and the pre-test from October to December 2011, and - Undertaking training and main field work in the participating countries in 2012. 14. The second phase (in the Maghreb countries) should ideally start in 2012, depending on funding and other conditions such as the implementation of the national population census. In fact, a major time constraint for the implementation of the MED-HIMS in both groups of countries comes from the possible overlap with the preparation of next censuses, which are planned in 2014 in Jordan, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia. 4
D. Funding for the implementation of the surveys 15. According to the above at this stage it is fundamental to secure funding for the implementation of MED-HIMS in the seven MED countries and for the establishment of a MED-HIMS Central Implementation Unit. Preliminary estimates indicate that the international funding needed to implement the project amounts to about 4 million Euro, depending on the number of participating countries and modalities of implementation. 16. The proposed MED-HIMS project has received positive feedback from international and national institutions, although significant direct contributions have so far been provided by the MEDSTAT Programme, the World Bank and UNHCR only. Among the institutions consulted in the last months, the UNFPA Regional Office for Arab States expressed UNFPA readiness to collaborate in sponsoring the implementation of MED-HIMS in a number of Arab States. The amount of UNFPA financial contribution has not been decided yet; however, it would come from the regional funding assigned to the national programmes of participating countries with the possibility of further funding from the Global Fund. It has been agreed to hold a meeting of representatives of EUROSTAT/MEDSTAT III/The World Bank/UNHCR/UNFPA at UNFPA Regional Office in Cairo in February 2011 in order to develop a Project Document for the MED-HIMS Programme, including the proposed budget. 17. At the last MED-HIMS coordination meeting, the World Bank, EC, and UNHCR jointly called for a stakeholders meeting involving other institutions such as UNFPA, ESCWA, ECA, the UN Population Division, UNICEF, IOM, ILO, PARIS21, the League of Arab States, the Arab Labour Organization, etc. If mandated by the NSIs of the MPCs, this meeting could also involve potential donors of funding for the surveys, such as the IsDB (Islamic Development Bank), AfDB (African Development Bank), AGFUND (Arab Gulf Fund for the United Nations Development Organizations), AFSED (Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development), Abu Dhabi Development Fund. If given the mandate by the next MEDSTAT Directors Committee meeting (March 2011), this MED-HIMS Stakeholders and Donors Meeting could potentially be held back-to-back to The 5th Forum on Arab Statistical Capacity Building, an event supported by PARIS21 and other national and international institutions and initiatives, which should be held in Beirut in May 2011. Annex 1 - Main outcomes on the review of the Model Questionnaires (MQs) and related issues from the MED-HIMS Panel Meeting held in Luxembourg on 3-4 May 2010 [Meeting based on the draft version of MQs of 26 October 2009] The meeting was a good opportunity to outline to newly arrived actors the initial scope of the survey and its evolution over the past two years or so. In fact, the survey proposal moved from the original objective of studying the determinants and consequences of international migration to a wider objective, including the studying of second generation returning migrants and forced migration, using nationally representative probability samples, thus making the whole operation more challenging but also more relevant. The experts also explained the need to go beyond the too restricted and narrow definitions found in international recommendations, in particular with regard to the eligibility criteria for interviews of different population categories. Thus in designing the MED-HIMS MQ, a new 5
enumeration approach has been devised through the introduction of multi-level eligibility criteria that would yield more detailed data which could be tabulated according to different definitions and purposes at data processing stage. Following detailed technical discussion about the data that will be gathered in the survey, it was agreed that the survey methodology will provide, in addition to the qualitative information, good data on migration flows and improved conclusions on stocks of migrants. The meeting also discussed and generally agreed a series of minor possible improvements to the MQs such as skips between questions, further filtering questions and adaptation of age-group ranges for certain parts of the questionnaires. As a more particular case, some participants highlighted the need to extending the categories of marital status by adding a code for same-sex unions, particularly when administering the questionnaire to foreign-born persons. It was agreed to leave the final decision on this issue to each participating country. Annex 2 - Main outcomes on the review of the Model Questionnaires (MQs) and related issues from the Panel Meetings held in Paris on 10-11 and 14 December 2010 [Meeting based on the revised version of MQs of 8 December 2010] The panel meetings of mid-december 2010 reviewed the questionnaires MQ-1, MQ-2, MQ-3 and MQ-5 and discussed a series of methodological issues, in particular sampling. The eligibility for interview was the main issue of the review of the MQ-1 - Household Questionnaire, in particular in the case of non-migrants belonging to a household. In general the experts agreed for avoiding fixing a number of persons eligible for interview within a sample household and for interviewing all the household members of given age, in contrast of the solution introduced in the Palestinian survey where non-migrant respondents were randomly selected. The experts changed the instruction for identifying out migrants (MQ1: Section 4) from is currently abroad to is currently living abroad. Concerning the relationship between household members, it was realized that some households may report an out migrant (father or husband) as the current head of the household. The interviewers will be trained to probe and try to establish the household member who is currently living in the country of the survey and who is the current head of the household. Further checking and editing will be carried out during the data entry and editing stage. Still concerning the MQ-1, it was decided to introduce some adaptations to identify stateless persons (for example in Question 206, for people holding a passport of a country no longer existing) and to specify the three categories of persons to be considered under Stateless according to the UNHCR standards. Another main proposal within the MQ-1 concerns the addition of a question on the Number of completed years of school attendance in Section 3. The experts also discussed the advantages of using modern and efficient sampling techniques that would involve a listing operation of a large sample of households (30,000 to 50,000 or 60,000 6
households depending on the size of the country) followed by the selection of a sample of 10,000-20,000 households with eligible respondents and then adjusting the results by the use of weights. Concerning the recently introduced MQ-5 - Individual Questionnaire for Forced Migrant, the meeting discussed and agreed on a series of minor changes in terms of adaptations of wording in the questions, different coding categories and different/new skip rules (e.g., Question 101 for another order of response categories; Questions 104 + 106 for listing the countries of transit; Question 206 for distinction between national passport and national ID card). Besides, the experts introduced a new question (no. 215) on any kind of assistance received by the migrant in the host country and moved questions 118 to 120 on knowledge of foreign languages from the end of Section 1 (Migration Process) to the end of Section 2 (Situation in Host Country). In MQ-2 - Individual Questionnaire for Out Migrant, a number of changes were introduced to some of the response categories, and a number of questions that were considered not important were deleted. Concerning the MQ-7 - Community Characteristics Questionnaire, the experts proposed to apply it in the rural areas with the possibility of including also small towns, depending on the definition of rural and urban areas used in each participating country. The meeting also discussed the use of the CSPro (Census and Survey Processing System) in the data processing stage of the survey. CSPro is a public domain statistical package developed by the US Census Bureau. The software can be used for entering, editing, tabulating, and mapping of census and survey data. This package is widely used by statistical agencies in developing countries. It is proposed that MED-HIMS Data Processing Expert will use CSPro package to develop three computer programmes, based on the Model Questionnaires, for: (i) data entry and editing, (ii) recode of the survey data, and (iii) the statistical tabulation of the survey data. These programs will then be adapted to the questionnaires utilized in each participating country. It was also agreed that in the first country to implement the MED-HIMS survey, the pre-test will be carried out on a larger than usual number of households, in non-sample areas, with a view to test the flow of the questions, their wording, the skip pattern, the duration of the interview, etc. Finally, it was suggested to disseminate the set of MED-HIMS documents online in the websites of entities such as PARIS21 and the International Household Survey Network (IHSN) beside any kind of hard copy under MEDSTAT III or other initiatives. 7