Why does IOM collect your personal data on the platform?
Personal data needed to use the housing matching functionalities of the PATHS Platform
IOM may collect personal information about you when you use the PATHS Platform to register (for) a housing listing or apply for support from an intermediary organization. The following categories of personal data are required:
For persons seeking housing:
- Name and contact details (email address, phone number)
- Demographic information relevant to housing: household size, age range, gender composition
- Information on current accommodation situation and residency status (to verify eligibility)
- Languages spoken (to support communication and appropriate matching)
- Housing preferences: location (region), size, accessibility needs, budget range
For property owners or housing providers:
- Name and contact details (email address, phone number)
- Property details (address, size, type, characteristics, rental conditions)
- Availability details and rental conditions
- Property ownership or management information (proof of ownership or mandate) if needed
For NGOs providing housing support:
- Organization name and contact details (email address, phone number, address)
- Contact person details (name, role, email, phone number)
- Area(s) of operation and type of support provided (e.g. social accompaniment, legal or administrative assistance, housing mediation, other types of support)
For all types of users:
- User account information (login credentials, language preference)
- Communication records related to housing matching (messages, notifications, status of the application and/or housing listing)
Information you choose to give us
You can choose to provide us with additional personal information, including:
- Additional Profile Information, such as personal description, and any additional profile information you may want to provide.
- User-generated content such as any photos or other content you choose to provide
Information automatically collected
When you use the PATHS Platform, IOM automatically collects certain information to help administer, protect, and improve the platform’s services. This information may include:
- Usage information such as searches for housings you have made, files downloaded, access dates and times and other actions on the PATHS Platform including the pages or content you view and links you click to third-party applications
- Device information such as IP address, hardware and software information, device information, and operating system.
- Cookies as described in IOM’s Cookie Policy for the PATHS platform
Who processes your personal data and with whom are they shared?
IOM collects personal data for one or more of the following purposes:
- Enable users to register and access the platform
- Verify eligibility and authenticity of users, listings, and intermediary organizations to ensure the integrity and security of the platform.
- Enable housing matching between refugees seeking housing and property owners or managers, based on relevant criteria such as location, size, budget, accessibility needs, and language compatibility.
- Allow NGOs to assist refugees throughout the matching process, including by sharing verified information with relevant partners (with consent where required).
- Facilitate communication and collaboration among users (beneficiaries, housing providers, and NGOs to support the housing search, application, and rental process.
- Provide personalized user experiences, such as displaying suitable listings or tenant profiles in the user’s preferred language and region.
- Monitor and improve platform performance through aggregated, anonymized data analysis to enhance functionality and user support services.
Personal data are used solely for these purposes and are not shared with third parties for commercial or unrelated objectives.
Security of personally identifiable information
IOM may share users’ personal data with:
- Platform co-administrators, notably Fedasil and Orbit vzw, in order to support the matching process between beneficiaries and housing solutions made available through the platform.
- Other registered and validated users of the platform including property owners and NGOs: in order to provide the requested services, including matching registered individuals to the housing listing, provide support during matching, facilitate communication with landlords and provide support with rental agreements.
- Service Providers: IOM may need to share some information you shared with us with the external service provider Assist Asia to ensure the improvement and/or maintenance of the platform and provide any required technical support.
Changes to this privacy notice
The PATHS Platform implements a series of technologies and security measures, such as encryption and/or authentication tools, in order to safeguard the information maintained on our systems from misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration, or loss.
Although IOM applies all reasonable means to ensure that the information you provide us is not used by third parties for purposes other than those described in this Privacy Notice, IOM cannot guarantee that unauthorized third parties will never be able to defeat those measures or use your personal information for improper purposes. You should be aware that no transmission of information via the Internet is ever totally secure. Transmission is therefore at your own risk, and IOM assumes no responsibility for the security of the information. IOM shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of the PATHS Platform (including any liability arising from any interruptions, delays, errors or lost data that may occur, bugs, Virus, Malicious Code, etc. )
While IOM makes every effort to ensure the materials available on its websites are free of any software virus, it cannot guarantee that the materials are free from any or all software viruses. IOM is not responsible for any loss or damage caused by software and related codes, including viruses and worms.
Rights and contact information
Please note that this Privacy Notice can change from time to time. If you return to this website after a period of more than one month, please check this Privacy Notice to confirm that you are aware of the details of the most recent update. The updated notice will be posted on this page and, if changes from the previous version are significant, a more prominent notice will be provided.
Your continued use of this Platform after we post a new Privacy Notice will constitute your acceptance of the new terms and the use of your personal information, including information previously given to us, under the conditions described in the updated Privacy Notice.
Privileges and immunities and applicable law
You can request IOM to (a) have information about the processing of your personal data by IOM, (b) access your personal data, (c) correct your personal data, and (d) delete your personal data. You may also object to the further processing of your personal data and/or withdraw your consent. IOM will need to verify your identity to be able to assess your request, and it may not always be able to comply, for example, due to safety and security considerations. IOM will assess this on a case-by-case basis and if a restriction is found to be applicable, you will be informed of our reasoning related to this. You can also submit complaints concerning the processing of your personal data by IOM.
You may exercise any of the above rights, submit complaints or obtain further information by contacting IOM at iombelgiumpaths@iom.int.
Update effective date
Nothing in this Privacy Notice shall be construed as constituting a waiver of the privileges or immunities of IOM, nor as its acceptance of the jurisdiction of the courts of any country over disputes arising out of this Privacy Notice. You understand that IOM’s processing of your personal data is governed by IOM’s regulations, rules and policies, to the exclusion of any national or regional system of law.
This Privacy Notice is effective as of 1 December 2025.
