The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on migration. We commend Mr. Bustamante for viewing irregular migration as a priority issue in the current political climate where the so called “fight against illegal immigration” has taken centre stage, pushing humanitarian and human rights concerns to the sidelines.

We also appreciate his attention to the increasing feminization of migration calling for gender equality programming.

The humanitarian concerns generated by international migration were highlighted in the last International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in November 2007 as a great challenge facing the world today.

The RC/RC has since long been committed to taking up this challenge and to acting only on the basis of humanitarian needs and vulnerability.

We are therefore encouraged that the International Conference, comprising of 194 States Parties to the Geneva Conventions, acknowledged the role of our National Societies, based on the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s fundamental principles of humanity and impartiality, to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable migrants, irrespective of their legal status in the Conference Declaration “Together for Humanity”.

The International Federation is committed to addressing the humanitarian consequences of migration issues.

Our National Societies’ action ranges from humanitarian assistance (including health care and the provision of psycho-social support), protection (such as restoring family links, provision of legal advice, monitoring detention conditions), integration and re-integration to advocacy.

As a world-wide network of 186 member National Societies, we seek to improve cooperation between National Societies in countries of origin, transit and destination in order better to protect and assist migrants and returnees and to strengthen partnerships with relevant external actors.

Our National Societies have an auxiliary role to their public authorities in the humanitarian field.

Within the framework of their obligation’ to abide by the Red Cross/Red Crescent’s fundamental principles of neutrality and independence, and the authorities’ commitment to respect this modus operandi, the auxiliary status offers a platform for a formal partnership with Governments.

As local organizations with community-based volunteers, who do not take sides and act in a non-discriminatory way, our National Societies also enjoy the trust of migrants themselves.

In addition to providing humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, they are committed to seizing this privileged position by influencing a humanitarian perspective into policy-making and promoting the rights and dignity of all migrants.

In keeping with our mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found, our advocacy also focuses on ensuring effective and unconditional access to all vulnerable migrants regardless of their status for the purpose of providing humanitarian assistance, without being criminalised or otherwise penalised for that action.

The International Federation is convinced that developmental benefits of migration are contingent upon the protection of rights of all migrants, and we will therefore take an active part in this year’s Manila Global Forum on Migration and Development. Finally, we would like to reiterate our strong commitment to combating discrimination, racism and xenophobia against migrants.

Migration is as old as the history of mankind, it is an expression of the survival of the fittest and of our existential pursuit of happiness.

We have to change our perception, and see - beyond what differentiates us - our common humanity, in order to develop a world where diversity is not only respected, but celebrated.