Members of WIMN shared their perspectives on July 21 during the High Level Launch of the Policies and Practice: A Guide to Gender-Responsive Implementation of the Global Compact for Migration. The virtual event was hosted by UN Women and UN Network on Migration. The Guide builds “on the gender-responsive approach outlined in the guiding principles of the GCM,” and “prioritizes the specific needs, challenges and vulnerable situations of women, girls and gender non-conforming people at all stages of migration due to their increased vulnerabilities to human rights violations and gender-based discrimination.”
Carol Barton, WIMN co-coordinator, and Nalishha Mehta, representing WIMN member, the Solidarity Center, emphasized the importance of the guide at this juncture. Carol commented,
“Together, we must embark on a much bolder initiative, particularly as much of the globe is still living in the COVID pandemic and as we seek to collectively and equitably emerge from that pandemic. We cannot return to flawed migration policies that rely on migrant women’s labor without guaranteeing decent work and social protection, regardless of migration status.”
Read Carol’s remarks here.
Nalishha stressed the roles of trade unions, and of migrant women themselves:
“We must recognize women in migration are not “vulnerable”, in need of “rescue”, they are advocates for their rights and agents of change. Current migration policies create the contexts of exclusion, inequality and rights violations that put women at risk and in a situation of vulnerability. The migration discourse should not be about “protecting women” but about protecting women’s rights. Migration policy must recognize the rights and agency of women rather than reinforcing gendered power relations.”
Read Nalishha’s remarks here.
A video of the launch event can be viewed here.