An attempt to feed policy dialogue on Migration and Development with the experience of the Swiss Civil Society
On the 10th of November 2017, the Swiss Civil Society Platform on Migration and Development (mdplatform.ch) organised its first annual conference. Established in 2016, mdplatform.ch is a space for information sharing among actors interested in the linkages between migration and development (M&D). The initiative is coordinated by Caritas Schweiz and HELVETAS and financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. It counts today more than 80 members.
Entitled, «Migration and Development: Swiss Initiatives and International Debates – Priorities and experiences of the Swiss Civil Society in the area of Migration and Development at local and international level», the ambition of this first conference was double. A first objective was to present and learn from mdplatform members’ practical experience. Members work on different issues of migration (e.g. human rights, integration, labour migration), different “moments” within the migration cycle (from pre-departure to return) and in different locations (in Switzerland and abroad). Exchanging on their experience and the challenges met in day-to-day work served identifying policy implications to be discussed in the second part of the conference. This second part took the form of a moderated panel discussion gathering the Mayor of Bern, the Swiss Ambassador on Development, Forced Displacement and Migration, and representatives of the University of Bern, Albinfo.ch, Somaliland Swiss Association and Caritas Schweiz. Within this frame, panellists could exchange on their respective priorities in the broader context of the ongoing negotiations on a Global Compact on Migration (GCM) taking place in the framework of the United Nations.
Both the morning and afternoon sessions highlighted a set of common concerns. Participants underlined the need to support a change in the way migration is perceived. While migration is often portrayed as a burden, a closer look at the phenomenon shows the benefits of «mobility». These benefits go beyond financial means to include for instance technological transfers, know-how and cultural exchanges. Migration was described not only as a historic reality, but as an integral component of development and an «oxygen for society». These remarks underlined the importance to set up the framework conditions necessary to maximize these positive developments while working in parallel on the causes and for improved protection in cases of forced migration.
The negotiations on the GCM were described as an opportunity to contribute to this change of perception and to improve the governance of migration with a focus on the protection of migrants’ rights. Participants insisted on the need to firmly anchor the GCM in the human rights framework and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. It was also emphasized that it shall contain concrete and measureable commitments to ensure their actual implementation while addressing the remaining protection gaps. The multi-stakeholders approach that has characterized the global compact consultations process will need to be strengthened in the implementation. Participants insisted on the important role and responsibilities of the civil society and private sector for effective implementation at national and international level. Finally, the need for continued efforts on policy coherence for development was emphasized on several occasions.
This first conference constituted an attempt to feed policy dialogue on M&D with the experience of a very diverse set of civil society actors active on the issue. It led to rich, constructive discussions and mutual learning and provides a solid ground for continued exchange in the future.
