Prior to departure

To ensure that migration is an informed option, Caritas provides pre-departure counselling. Experts give guidance on risks, on what to expect and on how to make the experience safer. Caritas Sri Lanka has awareness-raising programmes that warn potential female migrants of the difficulties of going to places like the Middle East. Sometimes employers confiscate passports, thus trapping vulnerable migrants in abusive situations. Caritas gives commonsense advice, such as telling migrants to give a copy of their passports to their families.
Caritas Sri Lanka

Support along the journey

The journey to other countries can take migrants across deserts and seas. It can leave them open to hunger, ill health and desperation. Caritas welcomes strangers and offers them food and shelter, whatever their legal status. In the desert of Mali, the Caritas Gao Migrant House provides a resting place during their departure and return trips. It gives them food, medical and psychological support.
Caritas Morocco, Caritas Mali

On arrival

Without a family, support network or local knowledge, migrants often need an enormous amount of help in their host country. Caritas gives language and vocational training to help migrants settle in. Caritas offers social and legal support to those seeking refuge.
SECADEV (Caritas Chad), Caritas Jordan, Caritas Zambia, Caritas Roma (Italy)

Healing trauma

Many women have faced violence and torture before or during the journey. Specialised services are offered by some Caritas members to help migrants deal with trauma they may have faced in their host country, or with the difficulties of returning home.
Caritas Libya, Caritas Iraq, Caritas Turkey

Finding work

Caritas helps migrants identify job and training opportunities both in their new country and also if they return home. In Senegal, Caritas helps people start up small businesses. This gives them an income and provides them with a reason not to migrate.
Caritas Dakar (Senegal), Caritas Venezuela, Caritas Colombia

Children

Children who migrate alone are particularly vulnerable. Caritas reports abuses and ensures that children’s best interests are taken into account. Caritas Switzerland actively campaigns against the genital mutilation of women and young girls.
Caritas Switzerland, CRS (Caritas USA)

Trafficking in human beings

Caritas supports COATNET (Network of Christian Organisations against Trafficking in Human Beings). This offers advocacy and a network of service providers who give advice on preventative measures, assistance and help on returning home.
COATNET, Caritas Prague (Czech Republic), Caritas Albania, Caritas Nepal, Caritas India

Return

European Reintegration Support Organisations (ERSO) provide voluntary returnees with predeparture counselling, information about reintegration when they decide to return and assistance once they arrive back home. Six of the ERSOs are Caritas members.
ERSO,

Advocacy and capacity building

Caritas advocates for changes for migrants at local, national and international level. In 2010, Caritas launched the “Under one roof, under one law” campaign to highlight the need for greater protection for migrant domestic workers. And Caritas Lebanon helped a domestic worker achieve an unprecedented legal victory when she received compensation for being badly treated.
Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Lebanon