South Asia Consultation on the Global Compact for Migration
— November 18, 2019
Migrant Forum in Asia organized a South Asia consultation on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) on 4-6 July 2019 in Kathmandu Nepal. Participants of the consultation included CSOs, trade unions from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The consultation had the following objectives:
(1) To discuss and provide updates on the Colombo Process (CP), Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD), and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC);
(2) To discuss synergies between the Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs) and the implementation of the GCM;
(3) To identify and develop a matrix of national focus areas of different government agencies and civil societies working directly on migration vis a vis the twenty-three (23) objectives prior to the consultation meeting;
(4) To review the matrix of national focus areas together with all stakeholders and actors in the meeting and commit to the action plans mentioned in the matrix;
(5) To develop a follow up strategy plan in terms of the implementation of the national focus areas.
The 2 ½-day program was divided into six (6) main sessions wherein each session looked into the updates on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD), Colombo Process (CP), International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) of the GCM, Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), and the United Nations Migration Network. There were five (5) breakout sessions after five of the aforementioned topics. Time was also allotted for the Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) of Nepal, to share about steps and activities taken by the NHRC on labor migration.
As an outcome of the consultation, the partners were able to develop a matrix national priority issues, outlining what has been done by CSOs and governments and what still needs to be done in line with the objectives of the GCM. The partners agreed to organize follow-up national consultations on the GCM. The matrix of priority issues will be used as basis for discussion in the national consultations. The broader aim of the consultation is for COS to be able to contribute to the GCM regional review in 2020.
Please find below some photos from the program.
For more information please contact William Gois of the MFA Secretariat at: mfa@mfasia.org