'Solidarity With Migrants Has Never Been More Urgent': UN General-Secretary Antonio Guterres

Every year, December 18 is celebrated as International Migrants Day is celebrated to highlight the contributions made by the migrants and the challenges they face. 

Antonio Guterres was speaking on the occasion of International Migrants Day. (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi: The United Nations General-Secretary Antonio Guterres in his message on International Migrants day, celebrated on December 18 every year,  said that showing solidarity with the migrants is more necessary than ever. 

“Solidarity with migrants has never been more urgent,” Guterres said, adding that, “we need more effective international cooperation and a more compassionate approach to migration.”

Acknowledging the contributions made by the migrants, Guterres said, “on this International Migrants Day, we recognize the contributions of migrants across the world in the face of many struggles including the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He also noted that migrants still face stigmatization, xenophobia, inequalities, and racism. He added that “Migrant women and girls face heightened risk of gender-based violence and have fewer options to seek support.”

He also noted that due to closed borders many migrants are left estranged. According to the UN, 281 million people were international migrants in 2020, which makes around 3.6 percent of the global population. The theme for the International Migrant Day 2021 is “harnessing the potential of human mobility.”

While explaining the ways of being more compassionate towards migrants, Guterres said, “This means managing borders humanely, fully respecting the human rights and humanitarian needs of everyone, and ensuring that migrants are included in national COVID-19 vaccination plans.”

As per ANI, next year, the International Migration Review Forum will take stock of progress in implementing the milestone Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. 

Every year, December 18 is celebrated as International Migrants Day is celebrated to highlight the contributions made by the migrants and the challenges they face.