The Mixed Migration Centre

Photo: Sven Torfinn/Panos

Who are we?

MMC is a global network engaged in data collection, research, analysis, and policy and programmatic development on mixed migration, with regional hubs hosted in Danish Refugee Council (DRC) regional offices in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Latin America, and a global team based across Geneva and Brussels.

Mission

MMC is a leading source for independent and high-quality data, research, analysis and expertise. MMC aims to increase understanding of mixed migration, to positively impact global and regional migration policies, to inform evidence-based protection responses for people on the move and to stimulate forward thinking in public and policy debates on mixed migration. MMC’s overarching focus is on human rights

Vision

Migration policies, responses and public debate are based on credible evidence, nuanced understanding of mixed migration, placing human rights and the protection of all people on the move at the centre.

Objectives

The objectives of MMC are as follows: 

  • To contribute to a better, more nuanced and balanced understanding of mixed migration (knowledge) 
  • To contribute to evidence-based and better-informed migration policies and debates (policy) 
  • To contribute to effective evidence-based protection responses for people on the move (programming) 

Click here to access our annual catalogue, offering a compilation of all publications & contributions to media articles by MMC & providing a brief overview of the key developments within the organisation.

Click here to meet the MMC team and for any open vacancies.

Short introduction to MMC
Full introduction to MMC
Global Strategy 2025
Global Strategy 2025 at a glance

What is mixed migration?

“Mixed migration” refers to cross-border movements of people, including refugees fleeing persecution and conflict, victims of trafficking, and people seeking better lives and opportunities. Motivated to move by a multiplicity of factors, people engaged in mixed migration have a range of legal statuses as well as a variety of vulnerabilities. Although entitled to protection under international human rights law, they are exposed to multiple rights violations along their journey. Mixed migration describes refugees and migrants traveling along similar routes, using similar means of travel – often traveling irregularly, and wholly or partially, assisted by migrant smugglers.

What do we do?
Our flagship initiatives

4Mi

4Mi collects in-depth information directly from refugees and migrants on the move across the globe. Every day, more than 100 enumerators conduct survey interviews covering the respondent’s profile, drivers of movement and intentions, and experiences on the journey, including protection risks, interaction with smugglers, and access to information. Started in East Africa and Yemen in 2014, 4Mi has since collected more 100,000 interviews.

Mixed Migration Review

The Mixed Migration Review (MMR) is the flagship annual report of the Mixed Migration Centre, first published in 2018. The report offers a deep analytical dive into the world of mixed migration, using the mixed migration lens to offer a critical and necessary framework to understand and respond to the complex characteristics and protection imperatives that define contemporary human mobility.

Research and trend analysis

MMC’s teams conduct in-depth research and provide expert analysis on a range of mixed migration issues in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. The regional hubs compile Quarterly Updates of mixed migration movements, data, trends and issues as well as descriptions of political events and policy changes affecting mixed migration in each of the regions, published as Quarterly Mixed Migration Updates.

All publications can be found under ‘publications’ and on the regional page.

View all MMC publications

Policy engagement

MMC is involved in various global and regional migration policy processes and dialogues, regularly presents at conferences, round tables and panel discussions and organises informal roundtables with policy makers to discuss migration trends and policies. MMC has also been closely following the negotiations and implementation of Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

Find here a selection of policy statements, reports and articles on the Global Compact for Migration.

Same old, same old? Are we seeing a resurfacing of the North–South divide in GCM implementation? June 2021 UN migration compact shows the world still believes in dialogue and international cooperation. December 2018 Making the non-binding bind A critical analysis of the Global Compact for Migration. December 2018 Wheels in Motion: Who's done what since the Global Compact for Migration was adopted (and what should happen next) COVID-19 and the Global Compact for Migration. Is a Compact born in a crisis born again in the whirlwinds of three global crises?

MMC staff around the world are available to provide briefings & engage in policy discussions.
Write to info@mixedmigration.org to invite us or contact one of our global or regional staff directly.

Evidence-based mixed migration programming

Over the past decade “evidence-based programming” has become extremely popular in humanitarian response, with donors and practitioners alike emphasising the role of data in particular as a basis for informed decision-making. Mixed migration contexts are no exception. In 2020, MMC commissioned a study with a view to supporting MMC’s approaches to its third objective: contributing to evidence-based protection responses for people on the move (programming).

MMC and the Danish Refugee Council

MMC is part of the Danish Refugee Council. While its institutional link to DRC ensures MMC’s work is grounded in operational reality, it acts as an independent source of data, research, analysis and policy development on mixed migration for policy makers, practitioners, journalists, and the broader humanitarian sector. The position of MMC does not necessarily reflect the position of DRC and vice versa.

Find out more about DRC
Danish Refugee Council

Our funding partners

MMC’s work is made possible through the generous support and close cooperation with various partners

  • World Bank
  • European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) 
  • The Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration (PRM) 
  • Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
  • Save the Children 
  • International Organization for Migration (IOM) 
  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
  • Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung 
  • University of Edinburgh 
  • Columbia University 
  • Heinrich Boll Stiftung Foundation 
  • OHCHR
  • Meta
  • le Ministère Français de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères
  • Ford Foundation
  • UNFPA
  • ICMPD
  • Denmark
  • UKAID
  • Open Society Foundations
  • European Union – Horizon Europe 
  • Robert Bosch Foundation
  • Swiss FDFA
  • UNODC
  • unhcr
  • Mayors Migration Council
  • Porticus
  • Swiss SDC

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