The Local MGI

The Local Migration Governance Indicators: A look into the way local authorities govern migration

Local authorities are at the forefront of managing the benefits and the challenges migration can bring. To do so, local authorities constantly need to innovate and develop solutions that can have a positive impact at the local and national levels. In an effort to support the formulation of well-managed policies and foster a dialogue between national and local level authorities, IOM adapted the Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) to the local level (the Local MGI). This tool offers local authorities an opportunity to have an introspective look at the policies, programs and structures they have in place to manage migration.

The Local MGI has three main benefits:

  1. Take stock of local migration strategies or initiatives in place and identify good practices as well as areas that could be further developed.
  2. Foster the dialogue on migration between national governments and local authorities.
  3. Enable local authorities to learn from one another by discussing common challenges and identifying potential solutions.

Piloted in 2018, the Local MGI has been rolled out with more than 50 local authorities around the world, many of which used the exercise to inform the development of policies and capacity-building activities.