Call for sign-on - 12 Civil Society Recommendations for the Future of the GFMD

A GFMD space that fosters discussion, collaboration and partnership between States and civil society - including migrants. And this means increased access to the Government Days. 

The GFMD as an annual process, and not just an annual event.  

Effective interface between the GFMD and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration 

These are some of the recommendations gathered on 25 June 2018, when civil society met in Geneva with the State-led GFMD review team for a discussion around the future of the GFMD. Parallel to this hearing, a survey was launched by and for civil society to gather suggestions from all civil society partners on “past GFMD organising and future interface between GFMD and Global Compact for Migration”. Based on the hearing and the responses to this survey, the Civil Society International Steering Committee for the GFMD prepared a document with twelve concrete recommendations for the future of the Forum and an efficient implementation of the Global Compact for Migration. These recommendations aim to enhance the dialogue between States, civil society and migrants themselves, as well as other stakeholders, by promoting a continuous and connected dialogue during the GFMD and throughout the year.  

GFMD programme: 

1. Global Compact for Migration: An extra multi-stakeholder day dedicated to the implementation, follow-up and review of the Global Compact for Migration. 
2. GFMD Common Space: A GFMD Common Space focused on accelerating good practice, partnership and achievement among stakeholders, including discussing the more controversial or less understood aspects of migration in a constructive setting.  
3. Civil society access to the GFMD Government Days: Full access to the GFMD Government Days for civil society, to ensure an enhanced dialogue and a better understanding of each others work, positions and concerns. 
4. GFMD Local mechanism: Local level organisations and migrants themselves as co-organisers and equal participants in any GFMD local mechanism that is developed.  
5. Innovations of interaction: Innovated spaces for interaction between civil society and states to improve quality of discussions during the GFMD, and more opportunities to meet throughout the year at different levels. 
6. Institute two ‘Sutherland Awards’: for ‘excellence in partnership’ and ‘excellence in exchange that widens implementation’. 

Throughout the year:  

7. National level follow-up: Stronger emphasis on national level follow-up before and after the GFMD.  
8. Regional level follow-up: Independent regional workshops throughout the year to focus on regionally specific issues and help build regional capacities and adequate implementation mechanisms.  

GMFD Governance and Structures:  

9. Sutherland Report: A joint ownership of the GFMD by states, civil society and the private sector for a prosperous future GFMD, based on Recommendation 15 of the Sutherland Report.  
10. GFMD Working Groups: Inclusion of members of civil society actors in GFMD Ad Hoc Working Groups for a deeper focus, wider perspective and collective follow-up.  
11. GFMD Steering Group: Membership and full participation of a civil society representative in the GFMD Steering Group.  
12. Friends of the Forum: Participation in the Friends of the Forum for more leading civil society organisations, to expand connection, partnership and representation.  

All civil society members are invited to sign-on to these 12 recommendations. The document with the full list of signatories will be shared with states and used in our joint advocacy as we move towards the GFMD and the Conference to Adopt the Global Compact, during ‘Migration Week’ in Marrakech this December. 

==> READ the 12 recommendations here  

==> SIGN ON to the document here.