Civil society participation

Civil society participation

There are four steps in the process of participating directly in the Civil Society Days and for civil society participation in the Common Space as well.

Step 1:  Everyone who wishes to participate must first complete and submit an Application for participation.  Applications are open to all sectors of civil society, including diaspora and migrant associations, other human rights, development and faith-based NGOs, trade unions and workers organisations, and representatives from academia, think tanks and the private sector.  A breakout of civil society delegates in last year’s GFMD is available here. 

Step 2: If, as has been the case since the beginning of the GFMD in 2007, more applications are received than the space that is available, then the International Steering Committee (ISC) will conduct a selection process.

Step 3: ISC selection and confirmation to applicants, with a link to on-line registration.

Step 4: Each selected delegate confirms that they will or won’t be participating, and registers appropriately using the on-line registration.

Application and new selection process 2016

Looking at available space, and with the aim to promote quality as well as manageability of discussions during the Civil Society Days, the ISC decided again this year to set a maximum number of civil society delegates at the GFMD Civil Society Days: 250.

At the same time, to increase representation, ownership and transparency in the selection process of the delegates, the ISC also decided to decentralize and rationalize the selection process as much as possible. Following ISC meetings in November 2015 and January 2016, ISC members decided to pilot a hybrid selection system in 2016, which the ISC will evaluate ahead of the next GFMD in 2017.  

To reach the total of 250 civil society delegates this year, the new selection process will pilot a two-pronged approach:

• Half of the civil society delegates will be selected as previously through an Open Global Application process. That is, out of all applications submitted, the ISC will select about 125 delegates on the basis of relevant experience and knowledge on migration and development issues, with an effort also to achieve diversity of civil society sectors (e.g., migrant and diaspora associations, other human rights, development and faith-based NGOs, trade unions and workers organisations, representatives of academia, think tanks and the private sector), geography and gender.
• The other half of the civil society delegates (about 125 delegates as well) will be selected directly by regional and thematic civil society networks around the world that have been active in migration and development in recent years (list of networks). 
• Like last year, the Civil Society Days will also provide space for observers (foundations, international organizations, governments and the media).

The deadline for applications for the GFMD Civil Society Days 2016 was 3 August 2016.

Limited funding support

Please note: Being selected unfortunately does not mean that there will be funding available to support every participant. Each year only very limited funding is available to support the participation of civil society delegates. Selected delegates are strongly encouraged to look for funding opportunities themselves to support their participation.

Selection, confirmation and registration

All applicants will be informed in September whether they have been selected to participate as delegates or not and whether they may be eligible to receive some of the very limited funding that may be available to help with the cost of participation. Those who will participate must register using the on-line registration which will be provided at that time.