OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTIVITY

To prepare the basis for a common position at the bi-regional level for the intergovernmental negotiation phase of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, expressed in common principles, commitments and understandings.

To exchange experiences in the approach of extra-regional and extra-continental migration flows for the definition of a bi-regional strategy for the attention of these migration dynamics.

GENERALITIES OF THE MEETING

Convening this plenary meeting will be conducted by the Presidency Pro-Tempore of the South American Conference on Migration (SACM) and the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM), with the support of their respective Technical Secretariats.

It is expected that the results of the plenary meeting will serve as input to the countries participating in the intergovernmental negotiation rounds of the Global Compact on Migration. The agreements of the RCM-SACM plenary meeting are not binding for these regional processes.

PARTICIPANTS PROFILE

The participation of high level representatives of the Member Countries of the RCM and the SACM is expected. The minimum level of participation is technical with decision-making authority.

Representatives of the observer organizations may participate as observers before the RCPs, as well as representatives of organized civil society.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To contribute to the improvement of the defense, promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families as carried out by consular entities in the region, by strengthening its officials´ technical and cross-sectional competencies and technical skills.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To contribute to the understanding of the main needs of the migrant population in the region in terms of consular protection to exercise their labor rights.
• To exchange on the specific functions and tasks that the consulates of the region should and can assume in relation to the defense, promotion and protection of the labor rights of the migrant population.
• To define and to strengthen the set of skills and competences that the consular staff should have in order to satisfactorily accomplish the relevant functions and tasks.
• To identify points of coordination between consular entities, migration entities and the ministries of labor in order to facilitate information on entry requirements and labor permits, as well as the defense, promotion and protection of labor rights.
• To systematize the experience and generate inputs for eventual replication by state training bodies to consular officials.

DESIRED RESULTS

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

• The workshop will be designed to contribute to the development of the Counter-Smuggling Work Plan of the Liaison Officer Network to Combat Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking, of the Regional Conference on Migration, with the aim of promoting medium- and long-term strategic policies and actions at the regional level.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

During the workshop, input is expected to be generated by the RCM Member Countries under the following specific objectives:

• To have a counter-smuggling regional planning tool in place, with a comprehensive approach;
• To strengthen regional coordination and follow-up on actions and policies developed on this matter;
• To offer regional common goals in terms of preventing and combating migrant smuggling, including protection of the most vulnerable migrants, in accordance with the Guidelines established by the RCM (http://www.programamesoamerica.iom.int/sites/default/files/LINEAMIENTOS%20ingles.pdf);
• To enable the development of more standardized operating procedures in the different countries in the region;
• To promote collaboration and complementariness with other regional spaces addressing the topic to a certain extent (for example, the Regional Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling; the Commission of Police Chiefs and Directors for Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia; the Ad Hoc Working Group on Extraregional Migrants (RCM), etc.).

Provide a space for dialogue among key actors to develop and validate a regional document on protection and assistance to migrant women, to be adopted by Member Countries of the RCM, within the framework of the XXII Vice-Ministerial Meeting.

This workshop was designed jointly and thanks to the collaboration of the Technical Secretariat of the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM), Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), the Regional Office for Central America, North America and the Caribbean of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Environment, Climate Change and Migration Division (MECC) of the same organization based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The passport workshop will offer an opportunity for Canada, Mexico and other interested RCM member countries, to discuss and understand possible threats in all aspects of the travel document issuance process; how threats can be dealt with and for participants to share their best practices and lessons learned regarding implementation of their respective passport systems.

The flow of extra-regional migrants has been a constant topic in the region since the beginning of the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM). Also, its continuous growth has led Member Countries to open a fundamental space within their discussions in the framework of the RCM.

Training for the officials of the Liaison Officers Network for the Protection of Migrant Girls, Boys and Adolescents, one day before the next meeting of the RCGM, particularly focused on determining the best interest of the child in cases of sexual and gender-based violence affecting migrant girls and adolescents with international protection needs.

According to the structure of the RCM, the meetings of the Liaison Officers Network for Consular Protection and the Liaison Officers Network to Combat Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling took place during the morning of November 15th, while the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM) meeting took place during the afternoon of the same day and on the 16th, in preparation to the Vice-Ministerial meeting which took place on November 17th -18th, 2016.

Participants' profile: two officers directly involved in the creation and implementation of policies on extra-regional migrants' management.

Comments: the meeting is based on the conclusion #2 a) of the second meeting of the ad-hoc group of the RCM on extra-regional migration flows and it is hosted by the Government of Costa Rica. The participation costs (flights and accomodation) have to be covered by participant countries. The remaining costs of the meeting (food and transportation airport-hotel-airport) are covered by UNHCR and IOM. 

Participants' Profile: one officer of the Ministry; one officer of some institution directly related to social services to returned migrants; one representant of the civil society for each country of the region.

Comments: the workshop is convened by the PPT and supported by IOM. The costs of participation of the participants (flight, food, accomodation and transports airport-hotel-airport) are covered by the organizers of the workshop.

The documents related to this meeting are in Spanish only.

Participants' Profile: Accredited Consul in any city of the United Mexican States who is in charge of migrants' protection; or who attends a significant number of its citizens in that country.

Comments: This workshop is convened by the Government of Honduras (PPT) with the objective of exchanging good practices in the consular attention for people in need of international protection among the officers of the Consular Network in the Member States of the RCM. The organizers will cover the costs of the internal flights to Mexico City (when applicable), accomodation for the nights of the 19th and 20th of October, transfers airport-hotel-airport and food during the event for 2 delegated for country.