[LifeStyle] International Migrants Day 2020: History, Theme and Significance | All you need to know

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New Delhi| Jagran Lifestyle Desk: International Migrants Day is observed on December 18 every year and all migrants are entitled to equal protection of all their human rights. As the change is commencing, treating every migrant with dignity is one of the fundamental requirements in today's world.

In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of commitments during its first-ever summit on large movements of refugees and migrants to enhance the protection of refugees and migrants. These commitments are known as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (NY Declaration).

However, it was on December 4, 2020, when the UN General Assembly (UNGA), acknowledged the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, and thus proclaimed December 18 as International Migrants Day. This day is observed to mark the anniversary of the 1990 adoption by UNGA of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The global migration pact, known as the ‘Global Compact for Safe, orderly and Regular Migration’, was formally adopted by 164 Governments at an international conference in Marrakech, Morocco on December 10, 2018, to address the real challenges of migration while reaping its many benefits. The Compact is people-centered and rooted in human rights.

The meaning and message of International Migrants Day is- we learn together, create together, work together, sing, dance, and play together. We live together.

A look back at the history:

In 1990, the Assembly adopted the International Convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families. After that, a high-level dialogue was conducted by the UN General Assembly on September 14-15, 2006, which saw participation from 132 member states.

On the occasion of International Migrants Day, the member nations reaffirmed the following key messages:

They underscored that international migration was a growing phenomenon and that it could make a positive contribution to development in countries of origin and countries of destination provided it was supported by the right policies.