A delegation from Bangladesh has made immense contributions to the Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in Bangkok, Thailand held on November 5-8 by responding and sharing their views in bid to ensure the rights of the migrant workers.
The delegates, comprising civil society members and migrant activists as well as migration journalist, actively participated in the GCM meeting under sponsorship of the Solidarity Centre.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) organized the GCM meeting at its headquarter on November 6-8 while the parallel meeting of the MFA Asia Pacific CSO consultation on the Global Compact for Migration was also held on November 5-7.
Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque led a delegation of Bangladesh governmnet officials of the foreign affairs and the expatriates welfre and overseas employment ministries at the ESCAP meeting on global compact of migration.
Apart from attending scheduled programmes, the Solidarity delegates have exchanged views with Bangladesh government delegation. Bangladesh Ambassador in Thailand Sadia Muna Tasneem among was present there.
Speaking at several GCM meetings, WARBE chairman Syed Saifiul Haque and BOMSA director Sumiya Islam have also put their opinions and comments with a view to help ensure rights of migrants on the GCM.
Colombo based Solidarity Centre’s country program director Alonzo Susan has played his active roles in all of the interactive sessions by exchanging his observations and views on the related issues discussed there.
Dhaka based Solidarity Centre’s Senior Program Officer Dr Lily Gomes also participated all of the sessions.
On November 6 (Monday), United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Dr. Shamshad Akhtar has opened the sessions and highlighted that Asia-Pacific welcomed migrants, whether for economic benefits londontoto or to accommodate those displaced, and whilst they make invaluable contributions to both their countries of origin and destination, migrants are also exposed to a range of vulnerabilities.
IOM director general Ambassador William Lacy Swing speaking as special guest expressed his hope that all member states together would take joint initiatives to prepare global compact on migration which will be a great historical document for protecting rights of the migrants.
UN Special Representative for International Migration Louise Arbour said that migration left positive impact on the country of destinations as well as the country of origins.
On the same day, WARBE chairman Syed Saiful Haque took part as panelist the Global Compact or Migration: Civil Society Voice-Bangladesh Event’ on the sidelines of Asia Pacific Preparatory Meeting on GCM for Safe, Orderly and Regular migration at regional headquarter of United Nations’ ESCAP in Bangkok. It was chaired by Bangladesh foreign secretary Shahidul Haque.
Saiful Haque called for ensuring rights of the migrant workers who were often treated as slaves at the countries of destinations. ‘Migrants rights is the human rights,’ he said.
On November 7, (Tuesday) the delegates took part in the series of UNESCAP meetings including a sideline meeting on Women Migration Workers, Barriers to Mobility and the Global Compact for Migration organized by Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) in collaboration with ILO and UN-ACT.
Later in the evening the delegates exchanged views with the special gathering of senior staffs of the IOM regional office in Bangkok, hosted by MFA coordinator William Gois.
On November 8 (Wednesday), the solidarity delegates attended and scheduled meetings and they reacted at the sideline meeting on irregular migrations. Bahrain Labour Market Regulatory Authority chief executive officer Ausamah A AL Absi spoke at the meeting as focal person.
Migrationnewsbd.com/ob