Global Forum on Migration and Development

Link with the Civil Society

Owing to its state-led nature, the primary purpose of the Forum is to facilitate a constructive dialogue among governments. Yet another important objective is to enhance coherence in policy making and institution building – at the national, regional and international levels - where civil society actors are considered as contributors and partners. Civil society input to GFMD activities and dialogue between governments and civil society is thus recognized as both useful and necessary.

Over the past five years, the Civil Society Days of the GFMD have been organized immediately prior to the GFMD meeting of Governments. Each year a statement with messages and recommendations from civil society has been presented during the opening of the Government Meeting. In 2010 and 2011 the opening also featured a 3-hour “Common Space” engaging both government and civil society representatives.

In the first four years of the GFMD, the host country for the year designated a national foundation to be responsible for the overall organization of the Civil Society Days (CSD). In 2011, a GFMD Civil Society Coordinating Office was established for longer-term engagement, upon the invitation of the Swiss Chair and under the auspices of the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), an internationally operating NGO based in Geneva. Following the invitation by the Mauritian Chair for 2012, ICMC continues to serve as the Coordinating Office for civil society GFMD activities in 2012.

With the assistance of an International Advisory Committee for civil society, the Coordinating Office carries overall responsibility for the preparation and organization of the Civil Society Days, including format and themes, selection of participants, panelists, fundraising and continuity. To ensure the participation of concerned civil society actors, the selection criteria include, inter alia, such factors as experience in migration and/or development work, broad constituency, gender and geographic balance.

CSD Mauritius

The Civil Society Days in Mauritius will be organized by ICMC’s GFMD Civil Society Coordinating Office in consultation and cooperation with the International Advisory Committee and a local partner in Mauritius. The Civil Society Days are taking place on 19 and 20 November. For more information please visit the civil society website: www.gfmdcivilsociety.org

CSD Switzerland

In Geneva, the Civil Society Days were organized by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) upon the invitation of the Swiss GFMD Chair. The ICMC took responsibility for coordinating the civil society process in its entirety, working together on the themes and outlines for the civil society activities with an International Advisory Committee of 15 civil society leaders and consulting with over 200 diverse individuals and organizations. The GFMD 2011 Civil Society Days held on 29 and 30 November were attended by 186 civil society delegates, representing 61 different nationalities, 45 observers from regional and international organizations, 43 special guests, 18 media representatives and 71 government delegates from 35 countries.

• Final Report
• Participants
• Statement of the 2011 Civil Society Days [ FR | ES ]
• Recommendation of the Civil Society Days 2011
• Program [ FR | ES]

CSD Mexico

In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the Civil Society Days were organized by the Fundación BBVA Bancomer. More than 400 delegates and observers from 80 countries, representing migrants and a wide range of other civil society actors, international organizations and 33 governments, met during the Civil Society Days held on 8-9 November 2011.

• Participants
• Statement of the Civil Society Days [ ES ]
• Program [ FR | ES ]

CSD Athens

In Athens, the Civil Society Days were organized by the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation. Like in Manila, there were two days of civil society consultations and an interface with the governments on the last day. 225 delegates met during the Civil Society Days held on 2-3 November 2009.

For more information see: http://www.gfmd2009.org

• Participants
• Report of the Proceedings
• Program

CSD Manila

In Manila, two Civil Society Days were organized by the Ayala Foundation on the same Roundtable themes of the government meeting. The Manila GFMD Civil Society days provided a more extensive interface of the civil society actors with governments, an expansion of the range of stakeholders or sectoral representation, with special emphasis on the private sector, and a year-long consultation process at the national level. On 8-9 October 2008 220 delegates from non-state organizations and bodies all over the world met to consider the rights and protection of migrants, the expansion of legal avenues for migration and the challenge of policy coherence within states and across borders.

• Participants
• Report of the Proceedings
• Program

CSD Brussels

In Brussels a Civil Society Day was convened on 9 July 2007 by the King Baudouin Foundation before the start of the government meeting. More than 200 representatives of development, migration, and human rights NGOs, diaspora organizations, private sector actors, including money transfer associations, academics, and trade unions participated in the Civil Society Day. They discussed the government Roundtable themes and submitted their report at the closing plenary session of the Government meeting.

• Participants
• Report of the Proceedings
• Program