Messaging on migration-related risks

Author: James Edwards (SINUS Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH)

Crisis, risk, and human mobility are deeply intertwined. Societal crises (such as war and economic collapse) and group and individual-level risks (such as crime and exploitation) are all significant drivers of migration. Further risks can arise in the course of migrant journeys: these include dangerous routes, exposure to criminal and/or state violence, psychological stressors, sickness, and generally unsafe or unfavourable conditions in countries of transit and/or arrival. This policy brief offers recommendations for communicating to current and potential migrants about risks they might encounter in the course of migration. It draws on interviews with migrants to Europe conducted during the European Commission-funded PERCEPTIONS project, situating key findings within a framework drawn from the field of crisis and risk communication (the Protective Action Decision Model).