Migration projects produce the overwhelming portion of the resources that enable IOM to function, to innovate and design forward-looking migration management solutions, concepts, to seize new opportunities and to respond to the increasing demands of its Member States and migrants. Projects and Country Offices that develop those projects are the bedrock of the Organization without which it would not have the resources to operate. Given the diverse nature of migration, IOM's more tha​n 2,000 individual projects (in 2010) vary in content, structure and size but as a whole represent the nerve centre of IOM's annual activities. In 2010, more than 97 percent of IOM's total income (USD 1.3 billion) was generated through project activities.​​

This handbook presents the determinants of migrant vulnerability (DOMV) model for analyzing and responding to migrant vulnerability. The DOMV model is specifically designed to address the protection and assistance needs of a specific subset of migrants: those who have experienced or are vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and abuse before, during or after the migration process.The handbook further presents best practices and lessons learned in migrant protection and assistance, based on IOM’s extensive experience in providing protection and assistance services to trafficked and other vulnerable migrants, and on the provision of return and reintegration services to migrants from around the globe.