Raising Awareness among Young Adults on Safe and Regular Migration
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a global commitment to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all people by 2030. Central to achieving these goals is the commitment that no one should be left behind, especially vulnerable groups like women and girls. Safe and regular migration plays a crucial role in supporting sustainable development, contributing to several SDGs, including SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). At the crux of promoting safe and regular migration is the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), a framework designed to address the challenges and opportunities of migration in a comprehensive and rights-based manner.
Unsafe and irregular migration can have devastating effects on individuals and communities, disproportionately impacting women and girls. Women are more vulnerable to gender-based violence, smuggling, human trafficking, and exploitation where protection and safeguards are often felt as a need. Safe migration supports the essence of sustainable development and the principles of the GCM, which promotes the safety, dignity, and human rights of migrants.
Recognizing the importance of addressing unsafe and irregular migration and raising awareness on safe and regular migration pathways, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Sri Lanka actively participated in the International Girl Guides Camp ‘Ceylona 2024,’ organized by the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association (SLGGA) from 18-23 August 2024 in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka.
IOM Sri Lanka’s Protection Unit conducted Safe Migration Sessions on 23 August 2024, engaging over 560 Girl Guides from across the country. These sessions aimed at educating and empowering young participants aged 12 to 20 years with essential knowledge on the rights of migrants, access to legal protections, required skills and information to make informed decisions about the migration journey. Emphasizing the significance of informed decision-making and protecting the rights of migrants, particularly women and girls, these sessions underscored the need to avoid the dangers associated with irregular migration including migrant smuggling and human trafficking, which carry serious consequences for individuals and their families.
Throughout the day, Girl Guides actively participated in the sessions, which reinforced the connection between safe migration and SDG 10. Upon successfully completing the session, each participant received a stamp in their camping activity book. To promote engagement, interactive questions were posed, making the sessions more dynamic and participatory. Also, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials on Safe Migration were distributed among all participants.
As part of this ongoing effort, IOM Sri Lanka remains committed to advancing safe and regular migration, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM). By empowering young women to understand the migrant rights and safe migration pathways, IOM is playing a pivotal role in shaping the future where migration contributes positively towards sustainable development, gender equality, and the protection of migrants in vulnerable situations.
