Migrants' Social Media Storm - #WhatMigrantsWant
On 10th of March, 2021, migrants rights advocates, friends of migrants and many others in the Asia Pacific region joined the Migrants' Social Media Storm on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) Regional Review. The Social Media Storm aims to amplify and collect the demands of and issues of migrants especially in the Asia Pacific Region. For one hour, using the main hashtag #WhatMigrantsWant, migrants posted their demands to their governments on Facebook and Twitter.
Migrants and supporters from South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, and even as far as Canada have participated in the Social Media Storm. The participants came from around 40 migrant organisations, trade unions, faith-based organisations, migrants' rights advocate groups, migrant-serving institutions and civil society organisations.
Over 150 posts with the hashtag were posted on Facebook and tweeted on Twitter, echoing various issues and demands that migrants want their governments to address, and for the GCM to facilitate achieving. The prevalent demands include:
COVID-related issues:
- Including migrants in the COVID-19 vaccination scheme
- Free repatriation and testing for COVID-19
- Provide financial assistance for migrant workers who lost their jobs due to COVID-19
Rights and well-being of migrants:
- providing hygienic and decent accommodation for migrant workers
- For employers to respect migrant workers' day off
- ceasing arrests and deportations of undocumented migrants
- protect migrants against abuses of recruitment agencies
Engagement of government and migrants on the GCM:
- For governments to adopt the GCM and for meaningful, effective engagement of migrants in the GCM process
Universal voices from migrants:
- for governments to stop carrying out policies that stigmatise and discriminate against migrant workers, especially in regards to COVID vaccines and the spread of COVID (eg deportation, criminalisation, exclusion in COVID vaccine plans)
- to address the root causes of forced migration!
It was expressed that the GCM be transformed to address migrants' multi-faceted needs. The GCM Asia-Pacific Regional Review held during 10-12th March will be taking into account the demands of migrants in reviewing the progress and challenges in the implementation of the GCM, especially under COVID.
Let us all continue to fight for #WhatMigrantsWant.