High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, 3-4 October 2013

In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly held its second High-Level Dialogue (HLD) on International Migration and Developmentduring its 68th session in New York. The High-Level Dialogue was an important milestone in fostering international cooperation on migration at the United Nations, and built on the success of the first High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, held in September 2006.

There was widespread consensus that human rights should play a central role in the 2013 HLD. In its resolution deciding to hold the 2013 HLD (Resolution 63/225), the UN General Assembly emphasized that respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants was essential to reaping the benefits of international migration.

Accordingly, in Resolution 67/172 the UN General Assembly requested Member States, the UN System, and all relevant stakeholders—especially OHCHR and the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants—to ensure that the 2013 HLD analysed the linkage between migration and development from, among others, a human rights perspective (paragraph 10a). The Secretary General tasked OHCHR to lead the preparation of a report specifically considering how attention to the human rights of migrants could be strengthened within the governance framework of migration at the international level. Read the report: Migration and Human Rights: improving human rights-based governance of international migration. [English | Français | Español ]

The resolution also requested the UN Secretary-General to submit a report including an analysis of how a human rights perspective can enhance the design and implementation of international migration and development policies (paragraph 15). The subsequent report of the Secretary General on the Protection of Migrants (A/68/292) emphasized the importance of placing human rights at the centre of all discussions about migration and development and of adopting a human rights-based approach to international migration and development.

Programme

The 2013 HLD consisted of four plenary sessions and four interactive round-table meetings held in parallel with the plenary meetings:

• Round Table 1 focused on “Effects of international migration on sustainable development and identifying relevant priorities in view of the preparation on the post-2015 development framework”;
• Round Table 2 focused on “Measures to ensure respect for and protection of the human rights of all migrants, with particular reference to women and children, as well as to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons and to ensure orderly, regular and safe migration”;
• Round Table 3 focused on “Strengthening partnerships and cooperation on international migration, mechanisms to effectively integrate migration into development policies and promoting coherence at all levels”;
• Round Table 4 focused on “International and regional labour mobility and its impact on development”.

Statements

• High Commissioner statement to Round Table 2
• Intervention by the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović, Round Table 1
• High Commissioner speech, Side event "Making the case for migration in the Post-2015 Agenda"
• Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović, Side event "Migrant domestic workers: ensuring human rights and making decent work a reality"