Mass Migrations and Human Rights

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) is today marking the Mediterranean Day 2018, as established on the occasion of its 3rd Plenary Session held in Morocco in 2008.
 
In conformity with the main activities of the Assembly on the issue of the global dimension of mass migrations and of human rights, the theme chosen for the celebration of the Mediterranean Day of 2018 is “Mass Migrations and Human Rights”.
 
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and PAM feels the urgent need to call the attention of MPs on the phenomenon of mass migration, which figures high on the agenda of the UN and the Assembly, especially in consideration of the finalization of the Global Compact on Migration.

In particular, with reference to Migration, PAM has provided a major contribution, as a regional organization, to the drafting process of the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, as specifically requested to PAM by the President of the UN General Assembly.
On Human Rights, PAM will hold in June in Geneva, and in cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council, the 3rd Seminar on Human Rights for PAM MPs. The seminar will focus on the parliamentary oversight on national policies and practices relevant to Human Rights, and will focus on the most vulnerable, namely, women, children, and elderly people.

Therefore,  PAM invites every national parliament, on Tuesday 21st March 2018 or on a convenient closer date, to take into consideration to open the scheduled parliamentary proceedings with a brief reflection on the importance of the Mediterranean Day, within the context of the role that each parliamentarian and national parliament can actively play in further strengthening the democratic values of representation of the citizens.
 
PAM would be grateful should parliaments wish to take into consideration this proposal for the Mediterranean Day of 2018 and participate in this collective initiative whereby all Parliamentary institutions in the Mediterranean will speak with one voice in support of the promotion and protection of Human Rights.