An International Interfaith Briefing and Consultation
on the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
Target Date: December 7 & 8, 2021
Time: 8:00PM-10:00PM Manila Time (7AM New York/Toronto, 2PM Brussels/Berlin, 3PM Addis Ababa/Beirut, 6PM Dhaka)
Organized by:
Churches Witnessing With Migrants (CWWM)
Interfaith Network for the Rights of Migrants (INFORM)
Churches Witnessing With Migrants – Africa (CWWM-A)
Co-sponsored by:
Anglican Church of Canada
Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants
General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
International Migrants Alliance
Karibu Foundation
Migrante International
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The United Church of Canada
(Co-sponsoring organisations will be enumerated here once they have indicated their interest)
Introduction
On 10-11 December 2018, through the United Nations intergovernmental conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, the “Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”, was adopted by 164 member States. This is the conclusion of intergovernmental consultations and negotiations that began in September 2016. It is the first ever inter-governmentally negotiated agreement under the auspices of the United Nations. The GCM, while not legally binding, recognizes a number of human rights of migrants from which the political responsibility to comply of adopting States can be measured.
Three years later, the first regional reviews of the GCM were conducted by the respective regional UN Migration Networks. The recommendations, good practices and challenges identified in these consultations will be presented during the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) slated in the first quarter of 2022. The IMRF will serve as the primary intergovernmental global platform and venue to discuss and share progress on the implementation of all aspects of the GCM, including as it relates to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
As the IMRF approaches and various regional reviews have commenced, it is an opportune time for faith communities, migrant-serving institutions and grassroots migrant organizations to come together, albeit virtually. The Churches Witnessing With Migrants (CWWM), its regional expressions in Asia Pacific and Africa, the Interfaith Network for the Rights of Migrants (INFORM) and CWWM-Africa, will spearhead this virtual interfaith gathering for a briefing on the current developments on the GCM and for sharing about our current service and advocacy with and for migrants in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This interfaith briefing is our virtual gathering in preparation for the International Migration Review Forum slated in 2022 in lieu of a face-to-face 11th International Consultation as well as to challenge us to further collaborate for the future. CWWM, INFORM and CWWM-Africa will invite other member/partner organizations to co-organize and/or co-sponsor this event as this virtual activity hopes to gather various participants from past CWWM international consultations as well as welcome new ones. It will be a chance to collectively reflect and exchange information on the GCM process happening in the global regions and to reconnect and update each other on our respective work for the care and solidarity for and with migrants during this time of the pandemic.
Recalibrating amidst the Pandemic
On December 6 to 8, 2018, the ninth international consultation of CWWM was held in Marrakesh, Morocco a few days prior to the adoption of the GCM. The CWWM Marrakesh consultation built on exchanges and unities reached in past meetings including critical position on global migration, especially forced migration. The CWWM9 participants also agreed to map and produce an inventory of various types of facilities and services that can be made available for migrants and refugees along the migration route, starting with those owned or run by faith-based groups.
This was followed by the 10th International Consultation of CWWM held in Quito, Ecuador on November 14-17, 2019. CWWM10 revisited the orientation and structure of CWWM for its renewal and revision as it emerges into a more vibrant interfaith network witnessing with migrants. The Consultation also resolved to focus in three areas of work with corresponding working groups, namely: Multilateral Engagement, Infrastructure of Care and Architecture of Protection, and Interfaith Engagement for Migration Justice. It was also important to note that among the previous consultations, CWWM10 gathered the most diverse participants in terms of faith groupings. There was representation from Jewish, Hindu, Islamic, and Christian faiths.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Even before the pandemic, migrants have been facing tremendously oppressive structural challenges imposed by governments and corporations through their policies and practices. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these structural challenges and has exposed the unequal treatment of countries to migrants. Most migrants are denied protective tools and financial assistance and other relief programs of governments. Thus, many migrants are forced to use their own small income to buy masks, sanitizer, healthy food and other necessities amid the virus scare. Migrants are also excluded from economic measures reserved only to host countries’ nationals and residents. Those who lost jobs and are stranded due to flight delays and travel bans do not get sufficient assistance from their respective home governments for temporary accommodation, food and air tickets. The returned migrants and families are not considered poor and thus denied financial assistance.
The service and advocacy with and for migrants has even become more urgent.
While the GCM remains a continuing concern, from April 2020 onwards, CWWM collaborated with INFORM and its secretariat, the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), in various advocacy activities for the care and solidarity for and with migrants. There were activities that were joined by CWWM-Africa and other partners like the Word Student Christian Federation-Middle East, the General Board of Church and Society of the UMC, and various Migrante International chapters, to name a few [1].
These activities included webinars on “Faith Communities Working With Migrants Amidst COVID19 Crisis” on June 18, 2020 and “Faith Communities Standing in Solidarity With Migrants in the Middle East” held on July 30, 2020; online consultations like the “Churches and OFWs Dialogue in the United Arab Emirates”, on November 28, 2020 and the “Best Practices on Care and Solidarity for Filipino Migrants in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia” on June 19, 2021; CWWM[2] online meeting with Middle East and Gulf Partners[3] on December 1, 2020; NCCP Migrant Sunday held on March 14, 2021 called “Prayer and Justice for Filipino Migrants in Remembrance of Flor Contemplacion”.
There are other CWWM and INFORM collaborative activities including an hourly online radio program.
A Global Interfaith Briefing and Consultation on the GCM
CWWM regional formations from Asia and the Pacific, as well as in Africa have participated actively in regional spaces in order to review implementation of the GCM. APMM monitored the GCM process and actively participated in the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the GCM. APMM led the 1st Virtual Migrants’ Echo Conference on the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) last May 21, 2021 where CWWM and representative of member organizations of INFORM, participated. There will be a 2nd Echo Conference on the GCM on October 21 led by APMM and co-sponsored by various migrant organizations and migrant-serving institutions including CWWM. The activity aims to come up with a Unity Statement that will reflect the issues, aspirations and demands of migrants and their families in the region.
CWWM Africa has also been involved in the Africa regional review. Representatives from Senegal and Kenya were able to submit national status reports in partnership with APMM in 2020. Africa also hosted its first regional review early this year (2021) and its report shared by The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The report stated that despite the significant disruptions caused by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, African countries have made progress in their implementation of the Global Compact i.e. efforts by the African Union like the waiving of visa requirements for intra-African travel by 2018 and a legal framework adopted by 2023 for the issuance of an African common passport; adoption of the African Union Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment in January 2018; and, intraregional trade under the terms of the African Continental Free Trade Area which started on 1 January 2021[4].”
Going forward, CWWM review mechanisms and processes will emphasize and evaluate key messages from GCM objectives such as the need to address poverty, unemployment, and governance as drivers of migration; full promotion of 2030 Agenda and 2063 Agenda. CWWM will ensure that these objectives also ensure respect for the rights of migrants.
Inspired by the APMM and CWWM Africa’s regional initiatives, CWWM, INFORM and CWWM-Africa decided to initiate an interfaith briefing on the GCM with the goal of encouraging other members/partners to be co-organizers. It will be a time to reflect for common edification and to reinvigorate our cooperation and collaboration.
Objectives
The Global Interfaith Briefing and Consultation on the GCM aims to serve as a virtual gathering of grassroots migrants, migrant-serving institutions and faith-based bodies so that they can reconnect with each other for common edification and to reinvigorate interfaith cooperation and collaboration. The particular objectives are:
- To define the nature and level of cooperation and collaboration in view of the implementation of the GCM and its mechanisms, especially amidst the pandemic and its challenges.
- To receive updates from different regional reviews and recommendations from regional formations around common work and advocacy.
- To discuss and unite around a common advocacy for an inclusive and meaningful GCM process for migrants, faith communities and civil society in preparation for the International Migration Review Forum in 2022.
Elements of the Activity:
- Discussion 1: The Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic to migrants, refugees and uprooted people
- Discussion 2: The GCM, Processes and Mechanisms and their relevance to our work among migrants and refugees
- The CWWM As An Interfaith Platform for Advocacy and Action
- Sharing of INFORM Asia-Pacific, CWWM-Africa, CWWM-Canada and other CWWM partners/members involved in different GCM regional processes
- Workshop Planning via Breakout Rooms
- Engaging the IMRF 2022 (Identifying mechanisms and processes for effective engagement)
- Key advocacy points and calls
[1] A full report from the secretariat will be presented to CWWM network members/participants.
[2] CWWM was represented by Mr. Mervin Toquero of NCCP/CWWM; Ms. Hellen Grace Akwii Wangusa of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa, CWWM-Africa; Rev. Dr. Levi Bautista the Assistant General Secretary for UN and International Affairs Ministry of the GBCS-UMC; Rev. Joram Calimutan of the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, and Secretariat of Interfaith Network for the Rights of Migrants; Rev. Catherine Chang, PCUSA Mission Co-Worker, serving as the regional facilitator for addressing migration and human trafficking; Ms. Eni Lestari – Chairperson, International Migrants Alliance; Swami Vedanand Saraswati, Spiritual Head of the Arya Samaj-South Africa, African Coordinator for the Global Interfaith of WASH Alliance; and, Bishop Rosemarie Wenner Geneva Secretary of the World Methodist Council.
[3] The six church leaders from the Middle East and the Gulf who attended the meeting were: Dr. Michel Abs, General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC); Ms. Seta Hadeshian, Executive Assistant to the General Secretary of MECC; Dr. Hyayr Jebejian,General Secretary of the Gulf Bible Society; Rev. Justin Meyers, Acting Executive Director of the Al Amana Centre; Mr. Luciano Kovacs, Area Coordinator for Europe and the Middle East of the Presbyterian World Mission; and, Rev. Elmarie Parker, PCUSA Regional Liaison (Iraq Syria, Lebanon).
[4] United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African regional review of implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, Key findings of the continental report
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International Interfaith Briefing and Consultation on GCM
Proceedings of the 10th International Consultation of the Churches Witnessing With Migrants (CWWM)