Celebrated every year on 18 December, the International Migrants Day is dedicated by the United Nations (UN) to recognize the contributions of migrants across the world.
“For decades, the State of Kuwait has been supporting IOM humanitarian operations worldwide. In 2022 alone, Kuwait generously supported IOM humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, Ukraine and Pakistan reaching thousands of migrants and internally displaced people,” said IOM Chief of Mission in Kuwait, Mazen AboulHosn.
He added, “In May of this year, Kuwait participated in the first-ever International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), convened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The forum was an opportunity to celebrate successes and reflect on challenges faced in the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) since its adoption in 2018. During the IMRF, the State of Kuwait affirmed its commitment to achieving the goals of GCM in line with its national priorities and policies, and to support the IMRF declaration.”
The Global Compact for Migration (GCM) is an effective tool for States to discuss how best to address challenges to human mobility without compromising the human rights of people and states’ sovereignty. IOM’s efforts over the past years, complemented by partnerships, have helped ensure we are better placed to respond to growing challenges facing migrants, transit. and host communities.
In 2020 approximately 281 million people are international migrants living in a country other than their country of birth and this number has recently increased. Every year, people around the world face the devastating impacts of conflicts, diseases, disasters, and climate change that force them to migrate.
“If we look at migration from a development angle, there were 169 million migrant workers in the labor force in 2019; and with their skills and remittances they contributed to development. For instance, international remittance flows stood at $605 billion in 2021 which supported dignified lives and allowed local markets to flourish, especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries,” added Mazen AboulHosn.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Kuwait marks the International Migrants Day by organizing two film screening events for students hosted by two private universities in Kuwait, which comes under the umbrella of the Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) to raise awareness on migration.
IOM in Kuwait is also supporting a Blood Drive initiative, which is carried out by community volunteers and civil society organizations. This initiative is aimed at encouraging migrants to come together and donate to the national blood bank, and to meet the level of demand for patients in need of blood transfusions.
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