Migration in the world: for a human rights based approach

National and international experts gathered in a meeting held at the World Human Rights Forum (Marrakesh 2014), on Saturday November 29, 2014, to address migration issues and the protection of migrants in the world.

The participants exchanged experiences and views on migration in different parts of the world and tackled the issues and challenges of international migration and the new measures required to ensure the protection of the rights of migrants and their integration into the host country and the best contribution to its social and economic development.

Mr. Abderrahim El Jamir, of the UN Committee on Migrant Workers, welcomed the efforts made by Morocco, especially its initiative to adopt a new migration policy and document illegal migrants. Migration issues, he said, should no longer be approached only from migration perspectives, but also from an economic point of view.

Ms. Delphine Perrin, a researcher at the University of Aix Marseille, focused on the right of migrants, as a concept that gained significant meaning in the world. Taking the case of Morocco, which adopted a new migration policy and is about to enact new laws on migration and asylum, Ms. Perrin said that this country that wants to honor the rule of law and be a regional leadership in this area, should lead a progressive movement and opt for a non-restrictive trend in the area. She mentioned, in this regard, the decriminalization of illegal residence, as it’s the case, she said, in Europe.

This meeting was chaired by Mr. Driss El Yazami, CNDH Chairman, who took the opportunity to reaffirm the importance of Morocco’s initiative to launch an exceptional campaign to document irregular migrants living in Morocco, indicating that the CNDH is chairing the appeal committee that meets regularly to review and decide over the appeals of migrants or any new applications. Migration is a concern of the international community, he said. It is considered now for the international development agenda and will be included in the Post 2015 Millennium Development Goals.