Tripartite discussion unites Bangladesh to raise migrant worker’s plea in global forum
The focus of the sessions and guiding questions of GFMD roundtables appear to have set in the context of large-scale mixed migration from South to North America
A tripartite consultation on 'Gender-sensitive Sustainable Approaches to Human Mobility' was held on Tuesday (October 22) to set Bangladesh's position in the upcoming 12th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) Summit.
The 12th GFMD Summit will be held during November 18-22, 2019 in Quito, Ecuador, said a press release.
Bangladesh in the recent years have seen increased number of migrants returning as victims of prosecution, harassment, abuse and fraudulence. The political and economic changes in both the western and middle eastern countries have increased an anti-migrant narrative, while the advancement and automation of industries has been changing the global market for workers.
The thematic focus of GFMD 2019 is — "Sustainable approaches to human mobility: Upholding rights, strengthening state agency, and advancing development through partnerships and collective action".
GFMD is the largest annual policy discussion on migration that shapes the global discourse on human mobility. The pre-GFMD tripartite discussion highlighted the contextual and gender-responsive issues at the GFMD summit.
The tripartite consultation co-hosted by the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, UN Migration Network and CSOs for Global Commitments on Migration (CGCM).
The focus of the sessions and guiding questions of GFMD roundtables appear to have set in the context of large-scale mixed migration from South to North America. Given the different scenario of the economic migration of Bangladeshis, the agenda and themes of GFMD need to be discussed to make it localised and contextualised.
Besides, as women account for around 44 percent of the estimated 150 million migrant workers worldwide, sustainable approaches to human mobility needs to be gender-responsive. Therefore, another key focus for Bangladesh at GFMD should be promoting active discussion that addresses gender needs.
The event was organized by Institute of Informatics and Development (IID) and Bangladesh Nari Sromik Kendra (BNSK) with support from PROKAS, British Council.