Human-Rights based migration

The recently-concluded Civil Society Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila had several agreements, the most important of which was the reiteration that migrants deserved to be protected and empowered wherever they are.

 The GFMD called on all sending societies to promote genuine development where all constituents are assured secure, sustainable life and employment. Host countries were also addressed, reminding them to recognize the positive contribution of migrants to their societies and to ensure their full protection, not only as workers but as total human beings.

The Civil Society participants were one in pushing for the United Nations to create an office on Migration and/or Migration and Development. There was a global call as well to all governments to adhere to all existing international laws covering the protection and rights of migrants. Gender and age-sensitive policies and their ratification and strict implementation was a common theme that cut across the various roundtable sessions during the Forum.

With Brussels as the first host of the GFMD, and the Philippines the current and second host, the next international gathering will take place in Greece. Procedurally, the hosting country’s government works in close partnership with a lead civil society counterpart. Together, they map out the details of the Global Forum, a preparation that takes a year or more to initiate.

This year’s GFMD saw the Department of Foreign Affairs, led by Undersecretary Esteban Conejos, coordinating with the civil society participants throughout the nation, through partnership with Ayala Foundation. There were 36 participants elected in regional consultations who were brought in for a pre-GFMD consultation and for the actual GFMD for civil society from October 26-28.

Funding for the ongoing GFMD is provided by the MacArthur Foundation. For the next GFMD, the Onassis Foundation will be a prominent player.

More than a hundred delegates have been planed in from various parts of the world, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe, Americas, and Africa. The delegates came with their own advocacies and messages. There were common themes; there were divergent themes and varying passion and pleas as well.

 At the conclusion of the Civil Society GFMD, the interface with the various government representatives was scheduled for the next 2 days, October 29-30. Two civil society representatives from the participating societies were selected (or elected as in the case of the two Filipino representatives) to bring to the dialogue with governments the main agreements reached during the civil society consultations.

Would the interface with governments result in positive protective steps for the world’s migrants whose number total the population of Indonesia, as estimated by some delegates to the GFMD? Was the huge funding and the amount of time and energy expended be worth all the effort of bringing together delegates from both civil society and governments and result in better lives for migrants and their families and genuine development for the sending nations, for the host countries? Will a better world emerge after this round of dialogues and consultations?

Reality reminds all that change cannot take place overnight. Change cannot be done on the level of negotiations alone. The test of the the success of the dialogues and interface will have to be played out in the global arena. And the remaking of a better world takes time, requires patient construction of bridges of peace and dialogue.

 What is preferable, a world where we are separated because of rigid adherence to set advocacies or one that is shared through solutions being worked out patiently and in a globally collaborative manner?

 For sure, although the Civil Society GFMD concluded with each one committed to carrying on sustainably the gains of networking and consultations, so much doubts and questions still remained in the hearts of many. However, many delegates left with renewed hope that much can be done if all worked together as one.

 A new global architecture needs to be constructed, according to the GFMD Chairperson, Sharran Burrow. The present world system is showing recent glaring proof that the present inequalities need to be resolved and challenged and changed.

That new global architecture needs to be recognized, decided and constructed by all, beyond the GFMD participants, calling on all the people of this global system, to start on the path to a more human-rights based life for all human beings, migrants or non-migrants.

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