MICIC Initiative

The MICIC Initiative

The Migrants in Countries in Crisis (MICIC) initiative was launched 2014 and is co-chaired by the Governments of the Philippines and the United States. This State-led initiative seeks to improve the ability of States and other stakeholders to increase the protection and decrease the vulnerability of migrants affected by acute-onset crises, such as civil conflicts and natural disasters. It aims to do so by developing a set of non-binding, voluntary Principles, Guidelines, and Effective Practices that identify the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders, vis-à-vis migrants in countries in crisis. This is being done through a broad consultative process that engages with States and regional actors, civil society, including migrants and diasporas, the private sector, and international organizations.

The MADE Network together with the Global Coalition on Migration (GCM) is coordinating a series of regional consultations with civil society, in parallel to the official government ones, in order to have civil society’s point of view on the MICIC initiative.

Civil society worldwide has been working in this area of migrants in situations of crisis for many years, and is pleased to be taking part in the MICIC discussions. It is concretely following up on some of the points in the “5-Year 8-Point Action Plan”. Points 3, 4, 5 and 6 touch directly on improving rights-based responses to vulnerable migrants, and point 3 specifically calls for: “reliable, multi-actor mechanisms to address the assistance and protection needs of migrants stranded in distress”.

From the MICIC civil society regional consultations that have been taking place so far, civil society has emphasised the following points:

• that this MICIC effort needs to go further than just migrants in countries in conflict and disaster situations, to make sure that all vulnerable migrants are protected, whatever the cause, nature or place of their vulnerability
• that protection of human rights in ordinary times is the best way to protect migrants—and for migrants to be better prepared to protect themselves—when  there are crises; and
• that all these efforts to improve policy and practice need the direct participation of civil society actors, specifically including migrant and refugees

For more information on civil society’s position please read the outcome documents below from each consultation.

Civil society consultations until now:

• South, East and South East Asia  21 – 22/03/15, Manila, Philippines
  Background & Agenda
  Outcome document
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia 24/06/15, Brussels, Belgium
  Background & Agenda
  Outcome document 1 by Tolekan Ismailova
  Outcome document 2 by Michele LeVoy
• West and Central Africa 07/12/15, Dakar, Senegal
  Background & Agenda
  Outcome document in French and English
• Latin America 17 - 18/02/16, San José, Costa Rica
  Background & Agenda
  Outcome document in Spanish and English
• Middle East and North Africa 11 - 12/03/16, Beirut, Lebanon
  Background & Agenda
  Outcome document
• East and South Africa (Nairobi, Kenya), 29/04/16
  Background & Agenda
  Outcome document
• Mid-Term Civil Society report

Best practices

The MICIC Secretariat led by IOM, encourages organisations and individuals to share their advice on good practices regarding migrants in situations of crisis. Share your practice here!