Migration

Period poverty remains a major challenge in Lebanon, especially for refugees. With the country on the verge of economic collapse, the government is not prioritising gender equality but local and international organisations are working to help vulnerable women and girls.

The Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, recently explained the basis of an international law obligation to provide consular assistance to victims or purported victims of trafficking. This development provides clarity on the right of African women migrant domestic workers stranded abroad to demand consular assistance from their government representatives.

Refugees and asylum seekers face particular legal and practical obstacles in accessing the labour market. The proclaimed ‘right to work’ is of little help to them. Two Austrian labour market integration projects have created opportunities for apprenticeship training and employment.

The Brazilian federal government has closed the country's land borders, citing the need to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Lacking in legal grounding, the closure increases the vulnerability of migrants, including their exposure to human rights violations.

Intersectional discrimination against people on the move underpins inadequate responses to COVID-19. The right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications clearly demands substantive racial equality when designing economic and public health measures to address the pandemic.

Attention is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, yet there are other ongoing crises including in the responses to people ‘on the move’ or migration.

In 2015 a flow of migrants and refugees seemed to suddenly take Europe by surprise. It led to violations of human rights and loss of lives. What were the reasons behind and how could Europe have prepared better?

#BuildBackBetter is one of the hashtags from the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It speaks to hope, and to history too.