Attachments
With the deterioration of the [security situation in the Central Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger)](https://acleddata.com/conflict-watchlist-2024/sahel/) and the recent decision by the Alliance of Sahel States to withdraw from ECOWAS, the situation for migrants in the region remains precarious and ever-evolving. Access to trustworthy information is imperative in this context so that migrants can make well-informed decisions about their journeys. Therefore, this snapshot delves into the information gaps experienced by people on the move in the Central Sahel, and explores how information is accessed as well as the sources of information most relied upon and trusted.
Key findings
• The majority of respondents (61%) experienced information gaps, either before and/or during their journey.
• Safety/security (40%) and costs (34%) were the most reported information gaps:
• Access to safety and security information was reported as a need, whether respondents had travelled through dangerous locations (42%) or not (38%).
• Amongst respondents who reported information gaps and used a smuggler, almost half (49%) indicated challenges in obtaining costs-related information.
• Sources of information evolve throughout the journey:
• Family and friends in another country are the most often cited source of information by surveyed migrants who obtained information before their journey (71%), whereas 58% cited this source of information during the journey.
• During their journey, surveyed migrants obtain information from a broader array of sources such as other migrants (42%), local communities (37%), travel agents (35%), and smugglers (24%).
• Respondents mostly relied on direct and interpersonal means of obtaining information, such as phone calls (80%) and in-person discussions (77%) before departing.
• Surveyed migrants made minimal use of traditional media (7%), websites (7%) and street adverts (1%) to obtain information before departure, whereas these channels are the most frequently utilized by information campaigns on irregular migration.
• Social media and messaging apps are also commonly used both before and during the journey (51% and 43% respectively), with variations according to nationalities.