Parliamentarians from the Americas and the Caribbean conclude three days of dialogue on migration governance in the context of social and environmental challenges
Today concluded the three-day hemispheric interparliamentary meeting Migration in the Context of Socio-Environmental Challenges, organized by the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, ParlAmericas and the Forum of Presidents of Legislative Bodies of Central America and the Caribbean (FOPREL).
The Gathering, which began on Wednesday, October 23, brought together more than 50 parliamentarians from 18 countries and two territories of the Americas and the Caribbean alongside thematic specialists and representatives of regional, international and civil society organizations. The programme explored various angles of the issue of focus, including the economic growth opportunities of migration, legislative good practices on migration issues, climate-induced migration, migration data collection, differential impacts of migration based on gender, and social protection and integration of migrants in host communities.
The meeting also featured an interview with migrant rights activists; briefings on key frameworks including the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection; and working tables including the participation of young women climate advocates who are part of the youth parliament program run by the organization Misión 1.5. Various tools for legislators were presented to support ongoing work on the Gathering’s themes, including a primer on inclusive migration governance by ParlAmericas and CELADE – Population Division of ECLAC, and framework laws developed by FOPREL and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on migration governance with a human rights approach and on managing climate and environmental migration.
As the meeting marked the occasion of the 16th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE) and the 8th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change and Sustainability (PNCCS), delegates received reports from representatives of each Network’s Executive Committee.
In her remarks, Senator Carmen Gloria Aravena (Chile), Vice-President for South America of the PNGE, highlighted the Network’s accomplishments in advancing women’s political rights and gender-responsive legislative work and institutional reforms in member parliaments. She also made note of a newly published ParlAmericas dashboard tracking institutional progress on gender equality in the parliaments of the Americas and the Caribbean. Member of the National Assembly Radjendrekoemar Debie (Suriname), Vice-President for South America of the PNCCS, then shared that Network’s achievements, including participation in numerous high level negotiation fora and new partnerships for technical assistance built on climate science. He emphasized the urgent need for parliamentarians to advocate for redoubled efforts towards ambitious climate action, underlining COP30, to be hosted in Brazil next year, as a pivotal opportunity for the Americas and the Caribbean to demonstrate bold leadership.
In the framework of the Gathering, FOPREL held the IX Meeting of its Inter-parliamentary Commission on Women’s Rights and Gender Equity, chaired by Member of the Legislative Assembly Carolina Delgado, host of the Gathering.
In the Gathering’s final session, the parliamentary delegations in attendance adopted a declaration affirming the need to continue updating and strengthening regulatory frameworks and policies on migration, fostering an inclusive governance model that is grounded in human rights and effectively responds to the new migratory patterns of the region and their structural causes. The declaration outlines 23 commitments for parliamentary action.
The meeting was made possible in part by financial support from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada and Luxembourg Development and Cooperation.
