Canada
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
Build Capacity on Gender-Responsive Migration Programs and Policies
Canada pledges to promote and exchange gender-responsive migration programs and policies, including by contributing Canadian practices and encouraging the uptake of the Canada-funded Gender+Migration Hub, which aims to help countries undertake gender-responsive programming in immigration and integration.
Germany
Mainstream gender, age and disability aspects throughout humanitarian assistance and ending gender based violence in humanitarian contexts
In its humanitarian assistance, Germany takes particular account of gender, age and disability aspects, which are highly relevant for vulnerable migrants. A gender-age-disability marker helps to hold partners accountable and to ensure that the different needs and abilities of women, men, girls, boys, older people, and people with and without disabilities are taken into account in the design and delivery of humanitarian assistance, also in migration settings. The gender-age-disibility marker sets clear guidelines for NGOs and international organizations to consider the special needs of these vulnerable groups. Germany is further developing a humanitarian gender strategy. Our goal is to display Germany’s approach towards gender equality in the global discussion on gender and to embed it into political action. In this strategy, Germany commits itself to 100% gender-sensitive humanitarian assistance. Germany is committed to end Gender Based Violence in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, Germany is contributing 3.06 million EUR to the UN Women project “Localized Gender Accountability in Humanitarian Crises” in 2022 and 2023.
Germany
Strengthen gender-responsive and where possible gender-transformative approaches in the field of migration and forced displacement and empower women migrants and refugees as agents of change.
Migration decisions are affected by gender roles and migration has gender specific impacts. The Federal Government is committed to a feminist foreign and development policy, which aims for a gender- transformative approach, addresses underlying social norms that negatively influence and shape gender roles and includes supporting the rights and representation of women and girls in all their diversity globally, also increasing the resources dedicated to gender equality. Germany will contribute to the implementation of the UN resolution 1325 with its third National Action Plan for the Women, Peace and Security (2021-2024) and specifically increase its programmes and projects within the gender-conflict nexus with a focus on promoting gender equality in migration and forced displacement settings. German development cooperation will strengthen gender-responsive - and where passible also gender-transformative approaches in the field of migration and displacement and support women in all their diversity as agents of change.
Civil Society
WOMEN IN MIGRATION NETWORK
Women in Migration Network / WIMN – IMRF Pledge, May 19, 2022
The Women in Migration Network has played an active role in preparations for the IMRF, from participation in Regional Reviews and the Gender workstream of the UN Network, to a role in Progress Declaration negotiations, to a strong presence at the IMRF in New York. Like many, we see the IMRF not as an end, but as a step towards deepened Member State commitment to gender-responsive implementation of the Global Compact. This entails tangible steps to apply the gender-responsive guiding principle to all objectives in the Global Compact, not merely mentioning women here and there.
WIMN affirms the 360-degree approach of the Global Compact, which envisions a strong role for civil society and affirms the people-centered nature of migration policy. This has enabled WIMN to engage with member states and the UN System to advance concerns related to women in migration. This includes our input to UN Women’s Policies and Practices Guide and our partnership with the Gender & Migration Hub of Wilfred Laurier University –supported by Canada– both of which offer tools for States to develop gender-responsive migration policy, as well as our contributions to the UN Network’s Anti-Discrimination and COVID-19 Advocacy Tool.
That said, it is the responsibility of States to take steps to respect, protect and fulfill human rights obligations and international labor standards as they implement migration policy, including through the Global Compact for Migration.
As follow up to the IMRF, WIMN pledges to:
- Center the voices and experiences of migrant women in policy deliberations at the regional and global levels. Create space for migrant women to assess national migration policies, exploring “who benefits?” and “who is marginalized or hurt?” Gather the knowledge and priorities of migrant women in all their diversity as part of gendered migration data collection.
- Work with states and the UN System to approach “gender-responsive” policy in a holistic way that recognizes migrant women’s agency and leadership, avoids tokenization or victimization, and addresses women’s concerns including climate change, labor rights, regular pathways, the need for regularization and access to services, and a shift from criminalization and enforcement to human rights-centered policy focus.
- Work with the Gender & Migration Hub to review national GCM implementation, monitoring and evaluation frameworks with a gender lens and support knowledge-sharing and capacity-building on gender and migration as resources allow.
- Continue to work with the UN Network on Migration to prioritize intersectional gender perspectives in program priorities. Advocate for a strong gender indicator for GCM implementation, and the institutionalization and funding of a Gender Rapporteur at all regional and global GCM-related processes.