Panel Event: Protecting the Liberty of Migrant Children & Families

 

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Where: 2nd Floor of the Church Center for the United Nations (CCUN), 777 UN Plaza, New York, NY (located at First Avenue, and E 44th St).

When: 6 – 8pm, September 30

Every day, all around the world, migrant children and their families are detained simply because they lack the proper documents. These children and families often undertake perilous journeys and are met with xenophobia, violence and—increasingly—with detention despite having committed no crime and without being a threat to others.

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW25), and despite a legal framework that is increasingly urgent, ratification is lacking in the majority of countries where most migrants live and work.

Article 16 of the Convention enshrines the fundamental right to liberty of all migrant workers and members of their families, both documented and undocumented, and prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention. Furthermore, Article 10 of the Convention prohibits the torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all migrant workers and members of their families.

With the support of the Permanent Mission of Guatemala to the United Nations, the campaign to end child detention is coordinating a side event to the UN General Assembly to mark the 25th Anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Panel

This collaborative event aims to raise awareness of the need to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and specifically to promote its role in preventing the detention of migrant workers and members of their families.

Film Screening

Additionally, two short films will be screened:

  • I Am Not HereThis film, produced by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), explores the vulnerability of migrant workers and their families.
  • A Tale of Two Children – This film, produced jointly by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Global Campaign to End Child Immigration Detention, explores available child-sensitive alternatives to detention (ATD).

 

Reception

The panel event will be followed by a reception and art installation:

  • Visions from the Inside is a series of illustrations based on letters written by women and children in an immigration detention center. Curated by CultureStrike, these visual art interpretations were created by a diverse line-up of 15 visual artists and highlight the realities that migrants experience inside of immigration detention facilities, what led them to migrate away from their home countries, and the resiliency of the human spirit.

 

Welcome

Ms. Carol Barton, United Methodist Women

Ms. Monami Maulik, Women and Global Migration Working Group

Opening Remarks

Ms. Maarit Kohonen, Sheriff Deputy Head of Office, New York Office Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Speakers

Mr. Ben Lewis, Advocacy Coordinator International Detention Coalition

Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam Member and Former Chair, UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families

Mr. Joseph Cornelius Donnelly Permanent Delegate to the United Nations, Caritas Internationalis

H.E. Mr. Carlos Raúl Morales Minister for Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission of Guatemala

 

Question & answer session

 

 

RSVP

This event is free of charge and open to all. Please indicate via email your attendance by September 28 – [email protected]

Background documents

Flyer

Background note

Agenda

 

This event is made possible by the sponsorship of:

 

 

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