The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) participated in and contributed to the International Dialogue on Migration 2020 entitled “COVID-19 crisis: reimagining the role of migrants and human mobility for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals”, held on 15-16 October in a hybrid format (online and in-person), and to the Briefing by the UN Network on Migration, held on 19 October 2020. Both meetings were organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The IDM meeting discussed the implications of the COVID-19 for migrants and human mobility as well as migrants’ contribution to response and recovery efforts.
PAM was represented by Hon. Yana Chiara Ehm PAM Vice-President and President of the PAM 3rd Standing Committee from Italy; Hon. Abdelmadjid Dennouni, PAM Vice-President, and Hon. Ammar Moussi, PAM Rapporteur on Migration, from Algeria; Hon. Emília Cerqueira and Hon. Joana Lima from Portugal; and Ambassador Gerhard Putman Cramer, PAM Permanent Observer to the UN and other IGOs in Geneva.
Hon. Yana Ehm delivered a statement, on behalf of the Assembly, during Panel on “The role of women in the COVID-19 response and recovery”. In her intervention, Hon. Ehm pointed out that the crisis has further exacerbated pre-existing gender inequalities, and women and girls over-represented in informal and unstable employment face multiple forms of discrimination and domestic violence.
In this regard, she called for the inclusion of women and girls, irrespective of their migratory status, in both emergency and long-term responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, as a key principle to ensure the recovery of more sustainable, resilient, and equal societies that leave no one behind. In particular, she proposed expanding opportunities for women-owned or women-led businesses to access markets, as well as adopting policies addressing structural inequalities, such as in the labor market, and promoting women to decision-making positions. She also referred to the key role that parliamentarians play in adopting adequate legislation and allocating enough resources to the most effective services.
The Briefing by the UN Network on Migration session was opened by António Vitorino, Director General of IOM and Coordinator of the UN Network, and Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, followed by representatives of the Network Working Groups, such as, among others, UNDP, ILO, UNICEF, and UN-Habitat.
The briefing provided an update on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), GCM Regional Reviews, the Network Work plan, and the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund. Participants also discussed the recently launched GCM ‘Champions’ initiative. Intervening on behalf of the Assembly, Hon. Ammar Moussi highlighted the Assembly continuative work on migration issues, especially on the intergovernmental, inter-parliamentary and legislative aspects.
PAM participation to both events reflects the Assembly dedication for gender equality and migration governance. Over the past years, PAM has built a comprehensive approach based on solidarity, shared responsibility, multilateralism and engagement to address migration and forced displacement, in the framework of the Global Compact for Migration and the Global Compact for Refugees. The Assembly is firmly committed to continue the work to improve migration management in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions, by strengthening further its partnership with IOM and the UN Network on Migration.