In 2016 the UN General Assembly hosted a high-level summit to address large movements of refugees and migrants, with the aim of bringing countries together behind a more humane and coordinated approach. Since then the international community has developed two documents (the Global Compact for Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees), which together represent an immense opportunity for the international community to address the challenges of human mobility in the twenty-first century.
With the highest number of people on the move than ever before, and the number only increasing, it is the hope that the commitments made in the Compacts will be turned into action. However, with right-wing populist movements on the rise and human rights abuses and violations continuing across the world, it will take more than hope to improve the situation for all people around the world. The large forced displacement of populations is a global crisis that requires a collective effort, and strong leadership will be crucial.
Ignacio Packer, who has worked for human rights organisations for several years, is one of the main civil society leaders that works to uphold the human rights of people around the world. Mr. Packer is currently the Executive Director of the International Council of Voluntary Agencies, which is a network of NGOs whose mission is to make humanitarian action more principled and effective by working collectively and independently to influence policy and practice. Mr. Packer works to safeguard the human rights of all people, including migrants, across the world, and he has been heavily involved in the development of the two Global Compacts, consistently stressing the importance of engaging young people in the creation and implementation of various policies.
Only time can tell what the implementation phase of the Global Compacts will look like, but to ensure that the commitments are lived up to, an increased engagement of young people is vital.
If you are interested in attending the lecture with Mr Ignacio Packer, it will be held September 12th at 5:30 pm at school. For further information, please contact KG Symposium!