GFMD and WSFM 2012: Calls for participation and workshop proposals

Two major global events are scheduled on the migration agenda this year: The World Social Forum on Migration (WSFM) in Manila (November 26-30) and the Global Forum on Migration and Development (in Mauritius November 19-22). The application processes have started and more details on the events have become avialable. The WSFM is

One down, one to go: Uruguay First Country to Ratify ILO Domestic Worker Convention

Well, actually many more countries should be ratifying the convention, but for now two is the number that counts: If there won’t be at least two ratifications one year after the “decent work for domestic workers” convention was adopted on June 16 2012, it will fail. Trade Unions have set their goal higher, though: The “12 by 12″ campaign aims

5th World Social Forum on Migration to be held in Manila

The next World Social Forum on Migration  (WSFM) will take place in Manila from November 26-30, 2012. This will mark the first time a World Social Forum takes place in an Asian country. The theme is “Rights, Mobility, Global Models: Looking for Alternatives”. The relationship between the WSFM and the GFMD will be of interest, since

Same, same, but different? Plans for the Mauritian GFMD in 2012

It feels as if the Swiss meeting has just ended, but the planning for the 2012 GFMD in Mauritius is well under way. Recently, a brainstorming session was held in  Port Louis and at an upcoming meeting of the GFMD Steering Group (SG) and Friends of the Forum (FOF)  in Geneva on 06 and 07 February, agreement should be reached on the thematic program for GFMD 2012. From the draft concepts available so far it appears that the Mauritian chair

International Migrants’ Day – a date with its own radio station

As most of you are aware, today is International Migrants’ Day. The date was chosen because  the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families December 18 December 1990. Still, no major receiving countries of migrants has ratified the convention. The latest country to ratify was

Turkey will host GFMD in 2015 – News on Mauritius

 You read it here first It was just announced at the concluding debate of the government meeting that Turkey will follow Sweden as host of the Global Forum on Migration and Development.  Sweden will host the event in 2014, then in 2015 Turkey will act as host.

This can be seen as a positive sign that the Forum is here to stay – but also as a confirmation that the issue of migration will very likely stay outside the UN process even after the High-Level Dialogue in New York in 2013.

Also some information and the date for the GFMD in Mauritius was provided:

Q & A with Peter Sutherland: “Bringing GFMD into UN would kill it”

It was certainly not due to lack of asking. At a video-link session with the UN Special Representative for Migration Peter Sutherland, civil society representatives repeatedly questioned him about the chances of bringing the migration issue into the UN process. But Sutherland remained steadfast in his answers, which can be paraphrased as follows: