Several members of the Women in Migration Network, coming from various global regions, participated in the 4th round of negotiations on the Global Compact for Migration at the UN in New York.
Speaking on behalf of WIMN, Carolina Gottardo, based in Australia, delivered a statement to the Compact’s co-facilitators and urging greater clarity of what is meant by a “gender-responsive” Compact, as stated in the Compact’s preamble.
“The draft mentions gender responsiveness as a guiding principle, but it doesn’t define how the empowerment and leadership of women and girls in migration will be achieved.”
The statement elaborated on several specific proposals for clearer definitions, commitments and actions.
WIMN has also worked with UN Women to strengthen the Compact from a gender perspective, and has also participated in an Expert Working Group, which has produced two issue documents on “Ensuring a Gender -Responsive Global Compact for Migration” and on “Steps for Ensuring Gender-Responsive Access to Services and to Justice”.