Managing Migration for the Benefit of All
Turkey: Government Launches National IDP Framework
From the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center
The Turkish government has launched its new national framework to address the IDP situation in the country, at a conference in February co-organised by UNDP. The framework document is largely in line with international standards, reflecting the UN Guiding Principles, and gives particular emphasis to the right of IDPs to return to their areas of origin voluntarily and in safety. The government has further promised to consult and cooperate with NGOs, including in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policy. The meeting was attended by national and international organisations, government representatives and Walter Kälin, Representative of the UN Secretary- General on the Human Rights of IDPs. Several recommendations emerged from the meeting, including the need for civil society and state institutions to work together to identify solutions for IDPs, and the establishment of a special government office tasked with the development and implementation of the strategy. Two decades of conflict between government forces and Kurdish militants in south-eastern Turkey resulted in large-scale displacement of mainly Kurds, with estimates ranging from the government's 350,000 to up to 4.5 million by some international observers and Turkish NGOs. But despite some renewed clashes in late 2005, overall conditions for the return of the displaced have continued to improve and the Turkish government has taken a number of concrete steps to facilitate the return process.See also: IDMC Turkey country page
Conference on Migration and Development, Brussels, 15-16 March
Bringing together government representatives from countries of origin, transit and destination, policymakers, members of various diasporas and others, the conference focuses on the synergies between migration and development and seeks to identify concrete ways to enhance migration's positive impact on development.Compendium of Recommendations on International Migration and Development
From the UN Population Division: High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development
In preparation for the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development to take place on 14 and 15 September 2006 in New York at UN Headquarters, a report has been composed by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. The report compares the United Nations Development Agenda and the Global Commission on International Migration, and includes information and analysis on the outcomes of recent world summit and UN conferences on population, as well as on other major UN conferences held since 1990. The final component of the report is titled "Recommendations of the Global Commission on International Migration compared with the United Nations Recommendations on International Migration".
Report on Migration and Remittances in Moldova
From the International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund published a report on Migration and Remittances in Moldova on 19 January 2006. The full report can be requested from IMF and an abstract is available at the following link: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/nft/2006/moldova/eng/mrm.pdf
Launch of IOM's International Migration Law Online Database
IOM launched its online database of international, regional and national migration law aimed at providing government officials, researchers, migrants and the general public easy access through the internet of international migration law. A large and comprehensive variety of international and regional instruments governing migration in the world have been incorporated in the database. International conventions, regional and bilateral treaties are also included in at least one of the three official languages of IOM (English, French and Spanish).
In an effort to facilitate access to national migration legislation, IOM has included migration laws from selected countries in the database. More countries will be added in the coming months. Through the database IOM seeks to improve the access to International Migration Law, to enhance the understanding of this area of law, and to promote it as an important element of comprehensive migration management frameworks. As part of the development of the database, IOM's International Migration Law and Legal Affairs Department plans to incorporate resolutions and judgments of international and regional bodies, as well as detailed information on the status of ratifications of treaties in the database.
IOM's recently established International Migration Law and Legal Affairs Department in Geneva developed the database in cooperation with IOM's Website Unit in Manila. The department focuses on research, training and capacity building in the area of International Migration Law.
Recent Events
IOM has launched the First Travelling Film Festival on Migrant and Human Rights in Central Asia entitled “Rights in the Spotlight”. The festival started with screenings in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and will travel to Tajikistan. Read more...
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Central Asia Partnership Group (CAPG)
The CAPG aims to promote the peaceful and democratic development of the Central Asian states, and consists of IOM, the Danish Institute for Human Rights and the Danish Refugee Council.