IDC Secretariat staff and various members will be attending this year’s 2014 Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) to advocate for the rights of migrants at risk of immigration detention.
The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is an important annual migration conference held by states with the assistance of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on international migration and development, and chaired each year by a different state. This year, the GFMD is being hosted by Sweden from 12-16 May.
The GFMD is also preceded by a People’s Global Action on Migration, Development, and Human Rights (PGA), an independent civil society event which brings together migrant associations, migrant rights organizations, trade unions, faith groups, academia and other civil society from around the world to share information, dialogue, strengthen analyses and develop joint actions and campaigns on current and emerging issues related to migration. This year, the PGA will take place from 9-11 May.
The IDC—together with our Members and partners PICUM, and Terre des Hommes—will be holding several events on children and migration throughout the PGA and GFMD processes. If you’re in Stockholm, please plan to join us and please pass this information onto your networks and partners.
People’s Global Action 9-11th May
The IDC will be co-sponsoring two different PGA Workshops together with the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) and Terre des Hommes. To view the final program of the PGA, please click here.
- ‘‘Children in the Context of International Migration: Coordinating before, during, and after GFMD, ensuring the inclusive implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.’ Workshop 18, Sunday 11 May 14:00 – 15:30, Room 106
- Criminalisation, Detention and Child Rights at the GFMD (and beyond): A global strategy for ending the immigration detention of children’ PGA Thematic session #7, Sunday 11 May 16:00-17:30, Assembly Hall
Please find the flyers for both of these events here.
GFMD Civil Society Days 12-13th May
Throughout the GFMD’s two Civil Society Days, the IDC and partner organisations will have information tables set up displaying information on child immigration detention, and sharing videos from our Global Campaign to End Child Immigration Detention. Please stop by and help us promote an end to child immigration detention. The IDC is also hosting a Side Event featuring Mr. François Crépeau, UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants. Finally, IDC Members and staff will be participating in the following thematic “Working Sessions”, below. To view the final Civil Society Days program, please click here.
- Side Event – Alternatives to the immigration detention of children. Monday 12 May 12:30 – 13:30, Fogelströmrummet Room
- Session 2.A: Protecting and empowering migrants in distress, in transit, at borders and in detention. Monday 12 May 13:30 – 15:30, Riddarsalan Room
- Session 2.B: Protecting and empowering children in contexts of migration. Tuesday 13 May 08:30 – 10:30, Riddarsalan Room
GFMD Common Space – Wednesday 14th May
The “Common Space” of the GFMD is a time allocated for interaction and dialogue between states and civil society. This year, the IDC will participate in two different events during the Common Space, below. To view the final Common Space program, please click here.
- Wednesday morning “Breakfast Roundtable” conversation on migrant children in detention. (Private meeting), Wednesday 14 May 08:30 – 10:30
Support at input to these events is always welcome. Please contact IDC Advocacy Coordinator, Ben Lewis, for further information about the IDC’s involvement in the 2014 GFMD.