The Swiss embassy in Senegal’s aim is to move away from the ‘tyranny of numbers’ and ‘humanise’ the migration debate by shedding light on the violence associated with it. Organising a round table that gives victims a platform to share their stories appears to be an effective way to achieve this goal. At the very least, it can be said that, on May 9, much like the Dialogue Migration initiative, the diplomatic mission appears to recognise the need for a significant paradigm shift.

On that day, the Swiss Embassy in Senegal adopted a notably different approach to the issue. “We chose to change the paradigm. We often focus on statistics – that’s one way of looking at the situation. But this time, we wanted to humanise the debate by giving a voice to people who have experienced irregular migration. It’s never easy for a victim to revisit such experiences, as they are often memories one would rather forget,” said Ambassador Andrea Semadeni.

In short, the Swiss Embassy wants to move beyond statistics and focus on people – by sharing inspiring stories and bringing together diverse perspectives. In his address, Mr. Semadeni attempted to explain Europe’s stance on the current migration crisis: “When it comes to migration, it’s no secret that Europe’s population is aging. As a result, the old continent needs new blood. That’s why it is increasingly drawing quality human resources from Africa.” He also stressed the importance of protecting African interests: “The fact remains that Africa must not suffer as a consequence of this European approach.” As an example, he cited Zimbabwe, which recently blocked the emigration of over 4,000 healthcare workers to the UK. The Zimbabwean government argued that it cannot continue to fund the training of such a large number of professionals without first prioritising its own national needs.

Panoply of violence

Abena Yamoah, Regional Technical Advisor for West Africa at International Social Services, has established a typology of the violence experienced by migrants. “In my view, the first form of violence occurs during transit,” she explained. “But before that, we need to look at the migrants’ countries of origin. On both their outward and return journeys, migrants are often subjected to violence that is primarily psychological and political.” In her analysis, Yamoah categorised the types of abuse based on the individual’s profile: “Men are generally victims of physical violence, women suffer sexual violence, and children are mainly affected on a psychological level,” she summarised.

Absence of migration policies, a form of violence

Aly Tandian, Director of the Laboratory for Studies and Research on Gender, Environment, Religion and Migration (GERM) at the Department of Sociology of the Gaston Berger University in Senegal, shares the Swiss ambassador’s view. He argues that for too long, the focus has been solely on statistics – at the expense of the human stories behind migration. 

Tandian contends that the most fundamental form of violence faced by migrants is the near-total absence of coherent migration policies across much of Africa. According to him, only Kenya is making any real progress in this area. He laments the lack of a unified “African agenda” to address what he calls a “mobility problem,” noting instead a growing tendency toward repression. In Senegal, for instance, irregular migration is criminalised, while in countries like Mauritania, agreements with Western nations have led to reinforced border controls. On a different note, Tandian also expressed concern about the growing juvenilisation of migration – an increasing number of very young people attempting the journey. To stem the tide, he argues, a range of coordinated responses is needed. But this, he says, will require harmonising migration agendas across the continent.

At the meeting, Omar Brams Mbaye, director of the documentary Destin d’un Migrant (A Migrant’s Destiny), emphasised the importance of raising awareness. “Today, we need to raise awareness to challenge certain mindsets. In this respect, Destin d’un Migrant is an excellent tool for conveying this message, as it presents a distinctly African perspective on migration,” he said.