Background

African countries have recognized the need for adequate information to support new labour market policies and programmes. However, available information on labour market developments is often fragmented, limited in scope, or outdated. This is particularly challenging in the context of labour migration, which is increasingly characterized by intra-regional flows and the migration of low-skilled workers. In the East and Horn of Africa, labour migration is a significant aspect of the socio-economic landscape, with demand in sectors such as agriculture, fishing, mining, construction, and various services driving migration flows.

Countries such as Ethiopia and Djibouti have shown high interest in improving their mechanisms for collecting labour migration information and developing evidence-based, gender-sensitive labour migration policies. To support these efforts, the ILO, through the Better Regional Migration Management project funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), aims to establish a labour market and migration information system (LMMIS) in Ethiopia and Djibouti. Triangle was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the current state of LMMIS in these countries.

Triangle’s Assignment

Triangle was commissioned to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the labour market and migration information system in Ethiopia and Djibouti. The assignment involved evaluating existing data collection frameworks, systems, and structures to provide an overview of the current state and identify areas for improvement.

Objectives

The assignment had several key objectives:

• To provide an overview of existing and available labour market and migration-related data collection and analysis frameworks, systems, and structures in Ethiopia and Djibouti.
• To improve understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of existing labour market and migration-related data collection and processing systems and mechanisms.
• To map out official and non-official sources on labour market and migration-related data.
• To identify key actors engaged in labour market and migration data collection in Ethiopia and Djibouti.
• To identify challenges in harmonizing and coordinating information related to labour market and migration.
• To identify information and specific data needs for developing evidence-based, gender-sensitive labour migration policies.
• To propose concrete mechanisms to facilitate the sharing of labour market and migration-related information among concerned institutions.
• To recommend improvements for collecting and analyzing labour market and migration data and integrating them into national level information systems.

Research Approach & Methodology

Triangle employed a mixed-method approach to gather comprehensive data for the assignment. The methodology included:

• Literature Review: Conducting a thorough review of existing literature, including grey literature, to identify existing information and administrative data on labour market and migration in Ethiopia and Djibouti.
• Mapping Exercise: Identifying existing public and private surveys and statistical databases, and the mechanisms used to collect labour market and migration data, including questionnaires, data collection periods, frequency, storage mechanisms, and accessibility.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Conducting interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders, including government officials, statistical agencies, and institutions involved in labour market and migration data collection and analysis.
• Data Appraisal: Appraising mapped databases and mechanisms against international standards in labour market and migration statistics, such as the 2018 ICLS recommendations and other international standards like UNDESA.
• Gender and Rights-Based Analysis: Ensuring the evaluation integrated a gender mainstreaming perspective and applied a rights-based approach to ensure inclusivity and sensitivity to marginalized groups.
• Data Triangulation: Validating and triangulating findings using both quantitative and qualitative data collected through surveys, interviews, and desk reviews of relevant documents.