International Dialogue on Migration Will Examine Plight of Migrants in Crises
In 2011, over 800,000 migrant workers were forced to flee the
conflict in Libya. This year, thousands of migrant workers have had
to leave Syria to escape the fighting.
A two-day high-level workshop hosted by IOM in Geneva September
13th – 14th at the World Meteorological Organization will ask
how international migrants can be better protected when crises
erupt in their destination countries.
“Protecting Migrants During Times of Crisis: Immediate
Responses and Sustainable Strategies” is the second in a
series that aims to examine the links between crises and human
mobility.
Migrants are often neglected in traditional humanitarian
responses to complex crisis situations such as war or natural
disasters. When countries of destination or transit experience
political turmoil, conflict or natural disasters, migrant
populations in those countries often have few means to escape and
ensure their own safety.
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Migrants caught in crises face various risks. For example,
undocumented migrants may be excluded from humanitarian assistance
because they are not registered. Language barriers often prevent
migrants from getting relevant information on ways to access help.
When employers withhold passports or other documentation, migrants
may end up trapped. Discrimination or xenophobia can further
complicate their access to aid and, in some cases, they may be
deliberately targeted by warring factions.
“Though many crises may be sudden and unanticipated,
government and other actors can nonetheless establish systems ahead
of time that will allow for a rapid and coordinated response.
International cooperation on this issue will go a long way into
alleviating the plight of migrants during complex crises,”
says IOM Director-General William Lacy Swing.
The workshop will allow governments to share policy solutions and
best practices to better protect migrants stranded in crises.
Participants will include representatives of governments, academia,
international organizations and civil society, as well as
individual migrants.
The event is open to media. For background paper and agenda,
please visit:
"http://www.iom.int/idmmigrantsincrisis" target=
"_blank">www.iom.int/idmmigrantsincrisis
You can also submit a question via the IOM Facebook page.
Selected questions will be presented during discussions. Go to:
class="paragraph-link-no-underline" href=
"https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/International-Organization-for-Migration/161303029020"
target=
"_blank">https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/International-Organization-for-Migration/161303029020
For more information, please contact
Karoline Popp
IOM Geneva
Tel: +41 227179402
Email:
"mailto:kpopp@iom.int">kpopp@iom.int