WHAT IS PEOPLES' GLOBAL ACTION?

The Peoples’ Global Action (PGA) on Migration, Development and Human Rights is an alternative movement by migrants, trade unions, development advocates, social movements and civil society groups with the aim of pressuring governments and international bodies to respect migrants’ and people’s rights, promote people-centered development, and make governments accountable to their international human rights and development commitments. It will bring back the focus of attention on human rights as the basis for development, and explore the full range of issues involved in migration, including the underlying problems of development, poverty, joblessness, right to mobility, right to development, and how we can collectively address these.

This year, governments from all over the world will meet at the 2nd Global Forum on Migration & Development (GFMD) on 27-30 October to discuss how to “further maximize remittances and the benefits of migration.”   Until now, this has meant intensifying the export of temporary migrant workers to satisfy the labor needs of industrializing countries while channeling hard-earned remittances to fund development and service debt at home. 

The GFMD sees migration only through the lens of economic development, without concern for the impact of policies on migrants. Without a solid human rights foundation, workers will continue to be streamed into vulnerable and abusive workplaces, being traded as commodities - imported, exported and returned when the labor demand dries up.   So far, the GMFD has been very resistant to integrating international human rights frameworks and principles to protect migrants.

The Philippine government is hosting and organizing the 2008 GFMD. This is only the second GFMD so its roles and functions are still being developed by governments.  Like the 1st GFMD, the 2008 GFMD remains a closed event with restricted participation by migrants and civil society. It is critical that an alternative movement, like the PGA, is organized to enable migrants, social movements, and civil society worldwide to directly respond to current migration and development concerns.

The PGA is being convened to ensure that: (1) Human rights and the right to development as well as international commitments are upheld by governments, and they are made accountable to these; and  (2) Exploitative, profit-driven, neo-liberal agendas of governments, corporates and employers are exposed and resisted.

It willbe held on 22-30 October 2008 in Manila, Philippines. During the 9 days of the PGA, migrants, human rights organizations, trade unions, development groups and social movements from various parts of the world will come together. The PGA will provide space for the local and international community to organize workshops, exhibits, public actions, panel discussions, public forums, cultural performances, concerts, marches, rallies, etc.

A ‘pueblo’ (people’s camp) will be set up at the Rajah Solayman Park in Malate, where booths, exhibits, cultural and educational events will be held; this will also be the central assembly point for marches to the GFMD meeting venue (PICC). Various thematic, sectoral and organisational workshops will be held in nearby meeting venues.

On pre-agreed critical dates – e.g. Philippine opening of the PGA (Oct 22), PGA Global Plenary Assembly (Oct 25-26), opening of the official civil society days (Oct 27), official opening of the GFMD government meeting (Oct 29) and the closing of the GFMD (Oct 30) – all the participants and activities will converge for global plenaries and common actions, marches, rallies, cultural events, etc. (See Schedule of Activities)

The PGA is being organized by a coalition of civil society organizations in the Philippines and overseas working on migrants’ rights advocacy. The Philippine Working Group (PWG) on the GFMD Parallel Event is the civil society coalition that will host and facilitate the PGA. The PGA works closely with the International Working Group (IWG); together they facilitate and coordinate all the PGA plans and activities.

Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) is the convenor of PWG, and Migrants’ Rights International (MRI) coordinates the IWG.

Background

The issue of labour migration has become a global phenomenon with various multilateral institutions such as the UN, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank looking into the issue. At the UN level, labour migration was taken up as a global issue on December 1979 when the General Assembly decided to adopt a resolution to establish a working group open to all Member States to elaborate an international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and their families.  In 18 December 1990, the UN general Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (Henceforth will be known as MWC) The convention came into force in 1 July 2003  with 23 ratifications by member states. To date, the majority of the 37 ratifications are migrant sending countries.

The United Nations General Assembly through resolution 58/208 of 23 December 2003, also decided to hold a United Nations High Level Dialogue (UNHLD) on international migration and development during its 61st session. The UNHLD on international migration and development took place on September 14-15, 2006 at the United Nations general headquarters in New York City.

The purpose of the UNHLD was to discuss the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development in order to identify appropriate ways and means to maximize its development benefits and minimize its negative impacts. Additionally, the UNHLD focused on policy issues, including the challenge of achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Among the recommendations of the UNHLD was the creation of the permanent forum on migration. The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan was a vigorous supporter of the HLD and believed that it should mark the beginning of inter-governmental discussions about migration and development.

From the UN led process which was the HLD came the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). The GFMD is no longer a UN led process but a non-binding intergovernmental process that will look at developing a practical agenda on maximizing the gains from migration and development. At the UNHLD the Government of Belgium signified its intention to host the first GFMD.

The GFMD will not be a decision-making or policymaking body. It is a voluntary process that aims to address issues related to migration and development in a manner that goes beyond mere analysis. It aims to identify best practices, promote the exchange of experiences, identify obstacles to smart policymaking, explore and adopt innovative approaches, and enhance cooperation among countries.

The first GFMD was hosted by the Belgian Government on 9-11 July 2007. The 2007 GFMD was organized in two parts, the first day devoted to Civil Society or the Global Civil Society Forum on Migration and Development for the GFMD. The second and third day was an intergovernmental process where twelve members of civil society were allowed to participate.

Through a consultative process which involved about 115 governments, two themes were identified as top priorities for the first meeting of the Forum: 'Migration and socio-economic development', and 'Best ways to strengthen the links between migration policies and development policies'.  At the first GFMD, these issues were addressed by the governments in roundtable discussions that focus on the following topics:

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