Understanding Human Mobility through Wifi Analytics

Summary

The International Organization for Migration and the Interagency Group on Mixed Migration Flows have implemented a monitoring exercise through Wifi in 29 Colombian wifi spots where human mobility flows tend to take place. This project aims to monitor the movements and identify the population's needs as insight to design a better response. It analyses the data for four regions delimited according to the historical dynamics of the flow: Caribbean Region, Central Region, Eastern Region and Southwest Region. The project has directly benefited refugees and migrants who have accessed the internet service. At the same time, information has been collected to characterize the flow and profiles of the population in each of the regions.

Results

This report analyses the results from 18 June to 31 October 2021. The report describes the main findings in terms of movements, intentions and motivations, as well as needs and humanitarian responses for five profiles of movement of groups: people who have abandoned their homes intending to migrate to another country, migrants who depart from Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and are on transit in Colombia to migrate to a third country, including temporary migrants, Venezuelan returnees, and Colombians returnees. Most of the population intends to remain in Colombian territory as a final destination. However, there is a significant concentration of people in transit to third countries in the southwestern region and Venezuelan returnees in the eastern and central regions. The main reasons to migrate are the lack of income and livelihoods, as well as access to food, family reunification and deficiency of access to medical services. The humanitarian response is concentrated on nutrition, hygiene kits and shelter.