Philippines, US launch guidelines to protect migrants

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and the United States (US) recently led the launch of the "Global Guidelines to Protect Migrants in Countries Experiencing Conflict or Natural Disaster."

The project, initiated by the two countries, was under the Migrants in Countries in Crisis (MICIC), according to a statement from the US Department of State.

The Philippines and the US recognized that no country is immune to conflict or natural disaster which led to the conception of the guidelines.

The publication of the guidelines was a result of two years of consultations with governments across the world and among private sector employees, civil society, diaspora and migrant organizations.

The guidelines seek to promote saving lives and calls in migrants to get assistance in emergencies without discrimination. They also promote fostering respect for human rights of migrants regardless of their immigration status.

Earlier this week, the Philippines and the US formally launched the guidelines at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The guidelines will also be launched in Geneva, Switzerland on June 28.

Aside from the Philippines and the US, the MICIC Initiative consists of Australia, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, the European Commission, the International Organization for Migration, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for International Migration, the International Center for Migration Policy Development, and Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of International Migration. – Patricia Lourdes Viray