By Rajendra Paudel, MTM Fellow 2023, Dubai

The war in the Persian Gulf has affected people all over the world. One group that has been largely overlooked is migrant workers in the region. Low-income workers especially wonder how far the war will affect their livelihoods. Labour migration activist, social media influencer, and 2023 MTM Fellow alumni, Rajendra Paudel, reached out to his network of migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and wrote down his perceptions of the war at the Persian Gulf.

Ankit, MTM 2025 Fellow

With original reporting from Jammu and Kashmir

When the first shell landed on the outskirts of Poonch on May 7, 2025 in India-administered areas of Jammu and Kashmir, few could have predicted how quickly a decades-old border would turn into a live wire of missiles, drones, misinformation, and mass panic.

Israel is using state-of-the-art technology against Palestinians not only in the war in Gaza, but also against residents in the West Bank. Massive and intrusive collection of private data, predictive policing and thorough surveillance have become essential tools for the IDF, while private companies cash in. In this interview, 2024/25 MTM fellow and Palestinian researcher Mona Shtaya talks about life under highly technologized occupation.

Wael Qarssifi, MTM 2023 Fellow

After the fall of Assad’s terror regime in Syria, the world is still unsure in how far to trust the new Islamist leaders. In this complex and developing situation, data safety does not seem like a priority. The Migration and Technology Monitor’s  Wael Qarssifi explains why the issue should not be ignored. 

Veronica Martinez, MTM 2023 Fellow

CIUDAD JUAREZ: With the return of Donald Trump to the White House this past Monday came an array of executive orders setting up the immigration agenda of the Republican Administration. Putting an end to the use of the CBP One application was one of the first changes made by Trump during the first hours of his second term.

Migration needs re-thinking. And more than that, this re-thinking needs participation. While tackling issues regarding the use of technology in the migration space, the Migration and Technology Monitor (MTM) builds on the expertise of professionals with lived experience – even though that entails working towards losing our own jobs.