In September 2017, FAWCO UN Liaison Laurie Richardson attended Thematic Sessions held at the United Nations in Vienna as part of the process of developing a Global Compact for Migration. The goal was to agree on how the Global Compact should promote safe and regular migration to reduce exploitation of vulnerable people.
The desire for a better life is a fundamental human right. Migrants who are forced to turn to smugglers lack safer alternatives. Government policies seeking to prevent migration by making borders difficult to cross force desperate people to seek more dangerous routes, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation by smugglers and trafffickers.
Fighting the root causes of migration is a more effective solution: investing in peace and stability through long-term development, reducing poverty, increasing access to education, and providing opportunities to earn a decent living in home countries.
Transnational issues require regional and global cooperation: no single country can resolve these issues in isolation. Now is the time to build on the commitments made after World War II, strengthen international cooperation, fight racism and xenophobia and focus on social justice. The 2016 NY Declaration for Refugees and Migrants commited to assist the most vulnerable and reduce the risk of abuse and exploitation, for refugees fleeing conflict or the effects of climate change, or migrants seeking a better life for their families. Negotiations leading to the UN Global Compacts provide historic opportunities to develop a more coherent approach to securing the dignity, safety and security of all people.
To learn more, visit the UN website Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants