BRUSSELS, 15 April 2010 (EUROPA<)—Representatives from all Member States are gathering for two days in Zaragoza from 15 to 16 April to discuss how migrant integration can become a driver for social cohesion in the EU. At this Ministerial Conference, the European Commission will release the third edition of its 'Handbook on Integration for policy-makers and practitioners', focussing on the role of mass media in integration, the importance of awareness-raising and migrant empowerment, dialogue platforms, acquisition of nationality and practice of active citizenship, immigrant youth, education and the labour market. The 'Handbook' completes the set of measures foreseen by the 2005 Common Agenda for Integration, which also included the setting up of the National Contact Points on Integration, the European Web Site on Integration, the European Integration Forum and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-country Nationals. Commissioner Malmström has announced a new EU strategy on integration for the coming years.Read more<
ADEN, 9 April 2010 (AlertNet<)—The number of people crossing the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in the mixed migration flow from the Horn of Africa has nearly halved during the first quarter of the year in comparison with the same period in 2009. Since the beginning of the year, some 9,400 people reached the shores of Yemen in contrast to nearly 17,000 between January and March 2009.Read more<
BRUSSELS, 8 April 2010 (European Parliament<)—Member States volunteering to receive refugees sheltered by third countries should receive up to €6000 from the EU refugee fund per person resettled, suggested Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee on Thursday. EU countries contribute to resettlement far less than other developed countries like the US, Australia and Canada, stressed MEPs. They also repeated their call for internal EU solidarity with Member States facing special pressures.Read more<
STRASBOURG, 7 April 2010 (Radio Netherlands Worldwide<)—The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is considering a landmark lawsuit filed by 23 asylum seekers against the Italian state, which in the past year has intercepted boats filled with potential migrants in international waters and shipping them off to Libya.Read more<
SOUTH AFRICA, 6 April 2010 (IOL<)—A student who hitch-hiked for days to get to South Africa, and then battled through her university studies because of financial problems, has graduated with an honours degree from the University of the Western Cape (UWC).Read more<
BERLIN, 1 April 2010 (Earth Times<)—Germany and Greece signed an agreement on Thursday to cooperate more closely on asylum procedures, aimed in part at improving the process by which EU states decide where refugees should register their claims.Read more<
AMMAN, 1 April 2010 (UNHCR<)— Nader and Ala'* were delighted when "The Hurt Locker" won this year's Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Not only did the film about a gung-ho bomb disposal expert help refocus flagging international attention on the suffering in their native Iraq, but they also had a personal role in its making.Read more<
1 April 2010 (CNN<)—It was April 1975 when I was packed into a military transport plane with two of my siblings as the Vietnam War ended. We left Vietnam to escape communist rule and eventually, take on an additional identity.Read more<
IBBARA, 31 March 2010 (BBC<)—It is the start of an important day for 100 Colombian refugees and their families here in Ibarra, an Ecuadorean city half-way between the capital city, Quito, and the Colombian border.Read more<
DAMASCUS, 31 March 2010 (IRIN<)—Thousands of non-Iraqi and non-Palestinian refugees and asylum-seekers in Syria risk deportation and ill-treatment, and cannot get the help they need, according to refugee agencies.Read more<
ROME, 11 July 2014 (ICMC) - Like people everywhere, migrants desire access to decent working conditions with social protection. Nevertheless, many will accept poor working conditions to earn money and feed their families. ICMC members consistently mention the importance of decent, sustainable work “at home” so that migration remains a choice rather than a necessity.Read more<
BRUSSELS, 26 June 2014 (ICMC) - As States gather tomorrow in Geneva to discuss resettlement and other forms of admission to ensure safe access for refugees fleeing the war in Syria, ICMC, and NGOs across Europe call for increased commitments to admit more refugees and recalls that NGOs stand ready to support the reception of refugees in Europe.
At the High-Level meeting on resettlement of Syrian refugees hosted by UNHCR, States will have the opportunity to announce further resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes for Syrian refugees. UNHCR has set the target of providing resettlement and other forms of admission for 100,000 Syrian refugees in 2015 – 2016.Read more<
STOCKHOLM, 23 May 2014 (ICMC) - On 14 to 16 May 2014, Sweden hosted the 7th GFMD Forum Meeting in Stockholm with the overarching theme “Unlocking the potential of migration for inclusive development.” The meeting which gathered some 900 delegates from 140 countries and 30 international organizations kicked off on 14 May with a grand opening ceremony. Swedish Minister for Migration Tobias Billström and Swedish Minister from International Development Cooperation Hillevi Engström, gave welcome remarks while H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt delivered inspiring opening speeches.Read more<
Geneva, 20 June 2014 (UNHCR) - UNHCR recently embarked on a ‘journey of mutual discovery’ with faith-based organizations by exploring the role of faith in humanitarian responses. ICMC would like to draw attention to this 2012 report, in order to mark the role that religious organizations can play in protecting the most vulnerable. The fifth High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection Challenges was held on the theme of Faith and Protection. The Dialogue assembled over 400 representatives of faith-based organizations, faith leaders and other partners for a two-day discussion in Geneva on partnership with faith-based actors. Read more<
GENEVA, 19 June 2014 (ICMC) – Every year the UNHCR meets with NGO partners, such as ICMC, to share best practices, and discuss regional and global issues of mutual concern. This year – with more than 240 national and international NGOs - UNCHR selected the Refugee Women's Protection Corps programme (RWPC) to share its work enhancing women's leadership and participation within the Burmese refugee community in Malaysia.Read more<
GENEVA, 18 June 2014 (ICMC) - On Thursday, 19 June from 9 :00 to 10:45, ICMC will speak at the annual UNHCR-NGO consultations. The event will be held at Room 3 of the International Conference Center Geneva (ICCG) at 17 rue de Varembé. UNHCR and respected NGO partners, including ICMC, will speak on community based protection programmes and their role in fostering women’s leadership among refugee communities.Read more<
Brussels, 11 June 2014 (ICMC Europe) - In many European cities and municipalities, housing for migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable and low income groups is becoming increasingly difficult to find. For humanitarian programmes such as resettlement, which involves transferring a refugee from a country of first asylum to a European country, a lack of appropriate housing is increasingly highlighted as a factor affecting countries' readiness to receive refugees, for whom resettlement is often a lifesaving solution.Read more<
BRUSSELS, 11 June 2014 (ICMC) – In collaboration with Caritas Europa, Church’s Commission for Migrants in Europe, Eurodiaconia, and Jesuit Refugee Services, The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) has sent a letter to Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, urging the European Council to committ to the Strategic Guidelines on the Future of Home Affairs policies.
To be adopted later this month, the Strategic Guidelines outline the right to family life, labour migration, non-discrimination and finally access to international protection.Read more<
GENEVA, 5 June 2014 (ICMC) - John Bingham, ICMC Head of Policy, spoke today at the UN on the leadership role of the International Labour Migration (ILO) in promoting fair migration governance and coordinating with civil society.Read more<
MALAYSIA, 27 March 2014 (ICMC) – “A lot of women suffer from Gender Based Violence (GBV), but they don’t know how to ask for help. People don’t understand that survivors should be helped instead of blamed. We must change what we can now, only then will women gain equality and respect,” said Iang Chin Par, a Burmese refugee living in Malaysia and a member of the ICMC Refugee Women’s Protection Corps (RWPC).
The RWPC was formed by ICMC more than four years ago and has since served as the foundation of ICMC work and community-based approach to prevent and respond to GBV amongst Burmese refugees in Malaysia. With generous financial support from the US State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM), ICMC staff mentors, supervises and coordinates a group of around twenty RWPC volunteers from the Burmese refugee community to better address harmful gender inequalities.Read more<
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