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Report of the Civil Society Day of the Global Forum on Migration and Development

Document number
1315
Date
2007
Title
Report of the Civil Society Day of the Global Forum on Migration and Development
Author/publisher
King Baudouin Foundation
Availability
View/save PDF version of this document
Document type(s)
Meeting Documentation/Conference Reports,
Keywords
Irregular Migration, Feminization of migration, Economic migration, Labour migration, Free movement, Undocumented migrants; Undocumented labour; Migrant rights; Migration management; Comprehensive approach to migration; Migration policy;
Summary
In September 2006, the High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development took place in the framework of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Over 140 Member States discussed the global implications and as a result of these discussions a large number of UN Member States expressed their interest in continuing the dialogue on migration and development by means of an informal, voluntary and state-led global forum. Belgium took the initiative to organise the first meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), to be held in Brussels on 9-11 July 2007. The Forum meeting in Brussels comprised two interrelated parts: a meeting of civil society actors on the first day, organised by the King Baudouin Foundation; and a discussion by government representatives on the second and third day. The forum has no binding decision-making powers but is described as "a platform for policymakers to share information on ideas, good practices and policies regarding migration and development [...] to explore new initiatives for international cooperation and multi-stakeholder partnerships." This conference report is a summary of the issues and recommendations resulting from the sessions of the Civil Society Day, presented to the government representatives in the first plenary session of the governmental discussions. A wide range of stakeholders were brought together and included: Migration, development and human rights NGOs, including faith-based organizations; Diaspora organizations; Researchers; Trade union representatives; Private sector actors, including money transfer associations. The agenda largely mirrored the governmental agenda. Three specific themes framed the debates, which took place in eight sessions. Theme 1: Human capital development and labour mobility: maximising opportunities and minimising risks. Theme II: Remittances and other Diaspora resources: increasing their net volume and development value. III. Theme Enhancing Institutional and Policy Coherence and Promoting Partnerships
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