10-12 March 2021 | UCLG ASPAC, the coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Local Government Coordinating Body, represented local governments within the Asia-Pacific region in the first Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, an event organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Regional UN Network on Migration for Asia and the Pacific. It is a state-led regional preparatory process for the global review of the implementation status of the Global Compact. Since its adoption in 2018, this is the first time that the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) has undergone a review process. Outcomes of the regional review will feed into the International Migration Review Forum in 2022.
Mayor Noraini Roslan of Subang Jaya and Secretary General Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi made the interventions uplifting the voices of local governments on migration.
Subang Jaya Mayor Noraini Roslan represented local governments at the roundtable on “Supporting migrants’ protection, integration and contribution to development” which addressed GCM objectives 14, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 22. She shared the best practices of cities in supporting migrants and emphasised the important role of local governments in policymaking and implementation of the GCM.
In the intervention, Mayor Noraini Roslan called for stronger collaboration with the national government and partnerships with all stakeholders to better implement the Global Compact. She also mentioned the call for access to migration data to ensure local policies are evidence-based and responsive to the needs of migrants. Enabling environment and access to financial resources were also highlighted to enable delivery service and inclusivity.
UCLG ASPAC Secretary General Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, in her stakeholder intervention, underscored the importance of empowering local governments to fully implement the Global Compact and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She stated that having a good enabling environment, with the clear legal mandate and access to resources, is essential to address the objectives in the GCM. She invited national governments, UN agencies, intergovernmental organisations, civic society, and other stakeholders to ensure that migration is safe, orderly and regular for people.
Main photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unitednationsescap/
