Hungarian Information Project for Migrants on Assisted Voluntary Return (2014 - 2015)
Geographical Coverage: Hungary
Duration: January 2014 – June 2015
Donor: European Return Fund (national allocation)
Status: Completed
Summary: The project aims to facilitate the voluntary and orderly return of eligible third-country nationals by providing up-to-date and reliable information about the assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) programme implemented by IOM Budapest. Information will be provided to potential AVRR beneficiaries using various different media, such as an enhanced telephone hotline service, an enhanced dedicated website, printed and electronic promotion materials. Although IOM does not have physical presence at the various facilities in Hungary, it will provide information through a significantly increased number of outreach visits of IOM staff to reception centres, asylum detention centres, alien policing detention centres and a community centre in Hungary (for administration detention purposes), carried out in accordance with IOM policies. The increased number of outreach visits is based on the joint recommendations made following intensive consultative meetings with the Hungarian Government.
The project consists of four main components: i) an awareness-raising campaign targeted to provide beneficiaries with general information about assisted voluntary return and reintegration (posters, leaflets, application forms), including how to apply and the benefits of participating in the programme; ii) an enhanced dedicated multilingual hotline service with the inclusion of three new languages (Urdu, Farsi and French); iii) an enhanced multilingual website to assist the beneficiaries in making a well informed decision on their voluntary return; iv) increased number of outreach visits by IOM staff to facilities to raise awareness of facility staff and detainees on AVRR and also hold one-on-one consultations and Q&A sessions for interested migrants. The awareness-raising information programme builds on previous such information/awareness-raising initiatives and emphasises the continuity of such initiatives in Hungary. By providing information on AVRR, the project will complement the AVRR programme implemented by IOM Budapest under a separate European Return Fund project.