The Migration Observatory aims to provide impartial, evidence-based analysis from across the Prague Process region and in line with the six thematic areas of the Prague Process Action Plan.
The Observatory engages academic researchers and state experts who produce analytical publications informing policy-makers, state specialists, the scientific community, and the wider public from across the region. While primarily focusing on contemporary migration challenges along with recent regional migration policy developments and their impact, publications also identify concrete lessons learned, map possible future trends and draw relevant policy recommendations. The analysis is performed both systematically and on an ad-hoc basis sketching developments at regional and national levels. It feeds into the discussions among Senior Officials of the Prague Process states, informing their policy decisions.
By engaging state experts, who are traditionally involved in intergovernmental processes and have direct access to national data sources, with representatives of academia and think tanks, the Migration Observatory creates a rich network of experts with region-specific and topical knowledge on migration and asylum. The exchange within the network generates new research opportunities and benefits all involved actors.
The Observatory produces:
- Policy briefs addressing specific policy problems and outlining possible solutions in a concise manner
- Comprehensive analytical reports, assessing relevant migration phenomena in more detail
- Background reports and information notes
- Migration flow analyses providing data on migratory movements and their implications
- National factsheets, providing a concise overview on the national migration situation in the Prague Process states, accessible through an interactive online map
- Infographics visualising interesting trends across the region
- Expert interviews
All outputs of the Migration Observatory are published in Russian and English in the Online Repository. This designated space also features Migration Profiles produced jointly with national authorities within the previous Prague Process phases as well as relevant publications developed in other ICMPD projects.
Beyond publications, the Observatory provides state representatives from the region with an opportunity to exchange in a series of meetings, workshops, study visits, and expert missions. The gathering, analysing, and sharing of migration-specific data is equally being addressed. The various outputs also form the basis of tailor-made capacity-building activities organised in conjunction with the Prague Process Training Academy. Periodically, the Observatory offers internship opportunities for junior staff and students of relevant disciplines from the Prague Process countries.
Background
Since 2009, the Prague Process has engaged in gathering and sharing data on migration and asylum through its Knowledge base, mainly by supporting the Prague Process states in the elaboration of their Migration Profiles (Light). During the 3rd Ministerial Conference in 2016, the participating states agreed to establish the Prague Process Migration Observatory in order to further enhance information sharing among the Parties and better inform policy-makers and experts from the migration authorities in their decisions.
The Observatory was established in 2018 within the framework of the ‘Prague Process: Dialogue, Analyses and Training in Action’ (PP DATA) initiative representing Strand C of the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF).