USA – A Way Forward To Build Better Migration Policies in the COVID-19 Era
The COVID-19 pandemic has had harsh social and economic impacts on people worldwide, and migrants have been disproportionately affected. Many have faced employment and wage loss and exclusion from healthcare and are unable to return home or reunite with their families. At the same time, the pandemic has shed light on the crucial role that migrants play as essential workers in the sectors of healthcare, food production, and retail, among others.
“Which way forward on the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration in the era of COVID-19?”, a new paper by the Civil Society Action Committee, describes how current migration policies place migrants in a vulnerable position and recommends new priorities to protect their rights. The Action Committee platform brings together civil society networks working to improve global migration policy and governance and is co-convened by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC).
“While the pandemic added new challenges and amplified pre-existing ones, it has also provided opportunities for addressing them,” says ICMC Director of Policy Stéphane Jaquemet. “If States are willing to cooperate, it is not too late to make use of these opportunities.” The report describes the events that led to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). Its inception dates back to a perceived migration crisis in the mid-2010s when large numbers of migrants and refugees came to Europe irregularly from the southern and eastern Mediterranean. Read more…
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