Bossaso, the largest commercial and port city in Puntland State of Somalia, serves as a critical hub along the Eastern Migration Route, functioning both as a transit point and destination for migrants traveling between the Horn of Africa and the Gulf. The city hosts tens of thousands of migrant workers, primarily from Ethiopia, Yemen, Syria, and several Asian countries, many of whom are in irregular situations and face heightened vulnerability to exploitation, abuse, trafficking, and labour rights violations.
In a city that serves as a critical migration hub, ensuring that migrant workers have access to accurate information, protection services, and their fundamental rights is more important than ever. Through a comprehensive media and outreach campaign in Bossaso, Bareedo Platform, supported by International Labour Organization (ILO) under the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), implemented a multi-channel approach that brought vital information directly to migrant communities, host populations, and key stakeholders.
Taking Awareness to the Streets and Neighborhoods
At the heart of the campaign were five targeted outreach missions conducted across migrant-dense neighborhoods and strategic locations, including Mareero, Suweyto, Bossaso Port areas, markets, recruitment agencies, the Migration Response Center (MRC), and police stations. These missions ensured that information reached people where they live and work.
Over 2,000 multilingual IEC materials—produced in Somali, Amharic, Arabic, and English—were distributed, making information accessible to diverse migrant groups. More than 1,950 individuals were directly reached through these efforts.
Beyond distribution, outreach teams engaged communities through on-the-spot sensitization, raising awareness about migrant workers’ rights, safe recruitment, and available protection services. These activities also strengthened visibility of the campaign and generated valuable feedback from migrants and community members.
Amplifying Voices Through Media
To expand reach beyond physical locations, the campaign leveraged both traditional and digital media. Three local FM radio stations—Dalmar Radio, Radio SBC, and Barkulan TV—broadcast five multilingual awareness messages twice daily over a 30-day period, ensuring continuous and wide-reaching dissemination.
In parallel, three high-reach online media personalities, alongside Bareedo Platform’s social media channels, drove a coordinated digital campaign using 15 awareness posters. This effort generated 450 direct online engagements and reached an estimated 20,000+ people.
Creating Lasting Visibility and Access
The campaign also prioritized visibility and sustainability. A total of 300 posters were installed across migrant-populated areas and key service locations such as the MRC. Additionally, five billboards were strategically placed at major entry and exit points, including Bossaso port, airport, and checkpoints.
To ensure continued access to information, 500 migrant welcome kits were produced and integrated into MRC services, while IEC materials were embedded into referral systems and waiting areas. Feedback boxes installed at the MRC further created channels for ongoing engagement and service improvement.
Substantial Campaign Impact
These multichannel campaigns increased awareness among migrant workers, host communities and service providers on International Labour Standards, migrant rights, and protection mechanisms; promoted peaceful coexistence and social cohesion; and strengthened institutional coordination and accountability in migration governance.
The outreach activities, and the widespread dissemination of multilingual IEC materials, addressed low levels of awareness among migrant workers, host communities, and key stakeholders, leading to improved understanding of migrants’ rights, International Labour Standards, and available protection mechanisms.
These campaigns also mitigated widespread misinformation, discrimination, and negative perceptions toward migrant workers through media engagement, community dialogue, and public awareness campaigns, promoting more accurate, balanced, and rights-based narratives.
This integrated approach combining direct outreach, media engagement, and public visibility, demonstrates how multi-channel communication can effectively bridge information gaps, reduce vulnerability, and strengthen protection systems for migrant workers.
By meeting people where they are—on the streets, on the airwaves, and online—the campaign not only raised awareness but also built trust, improved access to services, and laid the foundation for more inclusive and responsive migration governance in Bossaso.
#MigrantRights #SafeMigration #Bossaso #ILO #BRMM #MigrationProtection
