GENEVA December 5, 2008 - At the 96th Council Session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mr. Ketelers presented his speech, "Unmixing Migration to fill Gaps in Protection and bring Order to Mixed Migration Flows," alongside UNHCR High Commissioner, Antonio Guterres and Mr. Trygve Nordby, Chairperson for the Reference Group on Migration of the IFRC.

In his address, Mr. Ketelers stated that it is becoming "increasingly apparent that, if we want to come to solutions, it is necessary, and time, to unpack - un-mix - the concept of ‘mixed migration', because the real challenge of addressing mixed migration is to acknowledge the specific groups within those mixed migration flows". In this light, he mentioned four principal gaps in migration today.

The first is the "gap in point-of-arrival access to protection not only for refugees, but for all other migrants arriving while in distress". Mr. Ketelers called attention to the need for assistance in aiding migrant victims of trafficking, violence and torture. To emphasize this point, he pointed to the recent tragedy in the Gulf of Aden where 115 migrants from Africa were forced overboard by smugglers. It is not uncommon for migrants to face this kind of brutality during migration, consequently, work must be done to ensure the provision of protection and assistance for those not only entitled, but in need of this aid upon their arrival.

The second gap can be seen in the organisation of "safe and fair labour migration". Legal system mediated procedures are sorely needed to organize "labour migration with laws, procedures and mechanisms", in order to aid migrants in the areas of work in countries of origin and destination, cultural orientation, diminishing discrimination for workers, supporting standards of living and promoting social cohesion.

The third gap pertained to the preservation of "family unity in migration policy". According to ICMC members, as well as refugees and migrants from around the world, family unity is being de-unified by several factors. As the ‘cornerstone' of social stability and social cohesion, we must fight to preserve the right of family unity.

Lastly, Mr. Ketelers addressed the "yawning gaps in solutions-oriented approaches to reducing forced and irregular migration". In the efforts to aid refugees, it is important to device mechanisms that ensure protection for the migrants in irregular situations. Mr. Ketelers pointed to three viable solutions "that help to manage irregular migration by actually reducing it: safe and legal avenues of migration, [an] integration of irregular migrants already present, and decent jobs and other opportunities at home".

Along with each gap in migration, Mr. Ketelers drew attention to present organisations and programs who are presently working to close these gaps, as well as future opportunities where these gaps may be addressed. He also stressed that intergovernmental institutions, like IOM or UNHCR, "may continue to count on a full and constructive role in that cooperation by NGOs, faith-based and other civil society organisations like ICMC".

"Unmixing Migration to fill Gaps in Protection and bring Order to Mixed migration Flows" (PDF 77.5 KB)<