The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration(GCM) rests on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international human rights instruments. At its core, the GCM recognizes that safe, orderly and regular migration is only possible when migrants’ rights and dignity are upheld, and when particular attention is paid to those in vulnerable situations. Through its guiding principle on human rights, States have committed to implement the GCM by ensuring the effective, protection and fulfilment of all migrants, regardless of status, and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against migrants and their families.

Migration is a fundamental and enduring part of our human story. It has expanded our horizons and opportunities, enriched communities of origin, transit and destination, and it has united us as a global family. At the same time, too many migrants are forced to live in the shadows, enduring persistent violations and abuses of their rights and dignity, and are confronted with vulnerable situations, whether arising from the reasons they were compelled to leave their country of origin, the conditions they face in transit, at borders, or at destination, or because of their age, gender identity, disability, health, migration status.

On the occasion of the first International Migration Review Forum(IMRF) on the implementation of all aspects of the GCM, the UN Network for Migration launched a pledging initiative calling on all States and stakeholder partners to make concrete pledges within the framework of the GCM, to demonstrate collective commitment towards effective and human rights-based implementation. As the leading UN agency on the human rights of migrants, OHCHR has made specific pledges to advance the GCM’s promise of a human rights-based and people-centered approach to migration governance that will positively impact the lives of migrants and their communities.

To encourage better understanding of human rights-based approaches to migration governance and to facilitate dialogue and the sharing of existing promising practices to this end, OHCHR is organizing a virtual side event on the margins of the IMRF on “Upholding the human rights guiding principle in the GCM”.