Our Concrete Actions

Disruptive Action: No business as usual whilst the world is burning

We are used to operating in these spaces solely to discuss issues with governments, trade good policies, practices and make recommendations. We can still do this, but we must also remind them that dialogues —often technical in nature —cannot happen in a vacuum.

We must ensure that no one forgets the wider context of our discussions- that our fundamental human rights as migrants, diaspora, grassroots communities, human rights defenders, and civil society organisations are being significantly eroded. We must ensure that all participants do not forget that the world outside is regressing backwards.

Action 1
A reminder of their past commitments

CS delegation members display quotes of commitments and goals from key leaders in past GFMDs, reminding all participants of what was aspired to and how far from it we are – where are we now?

This will be displayed in three ways:
– Printed on ‘race bibs’ that can be attached to our clothing (to be confirmed)
– Printed on posters that CS delegates will display prominently.
– A graphically designed handout that CS delegates will distribute to other participants and post online, with quotes organised by theme.

Action 2A
A reminder of the world outside- sounding the alarm

– Members of the CS delegation (as many as possible) will write on a piece of paper (A4 or A3) 1 sentence of one of the following:
— An ongoing human/migrant rights violations happening in their communities (e.g. ICE raids separating families and kidnapping people off the street)
— A significant risk to their organisation or network (e.g. threat of criminalisation, severe funding cuts)
– We will then bring these papers into selected prominent sessions, stand up, and hold them in front of our faces in a simultaneous, synchronised action, to highlight the number of serious and pressing issues currently being faced —that we cannot operate like it’s business as usual. This can also be used for an accompanying or following social media campaign (more information coming soon).

Action 2B
A reminder of the world outside- sounding the alarm

The CSM will put up posters/projections of images in well-trafficked areas of migrant rights violations ongoing (e.g. immigration raids separating children from parents, inhumane conditions in immigration detention, violence at borders, exclusion), accompanied by one of two questions/statements:
○ Is this development?
○ This is how public money is spent

Action 3
A reminder of all those left behind – sounding the alarm

Members of the CS delegation (as many as possible) will take off and leave their shoes outside of selected prominent sessions, to symbolise all those being left behind, both outside of decision-making spaces, as well as from meaningful consideration and participation in government and governance policies. This can be accompanied by a poster or banner to explain the symbolism.

The Civil Society Riohacha Declaration

Our declaration will serve to clearly take control of the narrative, agenda and tone of the Summit, displaying our collective intention to resist and call on governments to step up and join us in defense of human rights. It will be the ‘takeaway’ for participants, to set into motion our wider movement and global cooperation necessary to survive and protect the most vulnerable communities in the coming years, and for participating representatives from governments and other institutions to bring back concrete demands to their decision-makers.

Structure and Goal

To lay out a manageable set of concrete, actionable demands from civil society to ‘course-correct’ and reform international migration governance and discourse

How to communicate to governments?

  • In every session (opening/closing, roundtables, side events etc.) where we have a speaking opportunity, we all begin with the 3 Rs like, “As civil society, we stand here to Resist, Reclaim and Realise migrant rights…” and if there’s time maybe quoting one of the relevant quotes from previous GFMDs.
  • If meeting with any government delegate, begin with informing them of our key campaign talking points, and hand them a printed copy of the quotes and declaration documents, or follow up with emailing it to them.
  • Send the quotes and declaration to every government and non-government delegate. If we see any of them we know or recognise, hand them a printed packet. Email them a digital copy if we have their emails.
  • Blast all of the campaign communications, actions etc. directly to any government contacts we have, and also to the broader public through all our social media channels.