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Gender-responsive

GCM Guiding Principles
Gender-responsive

Gender-responsive

The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) is based on a set of cross-cutting and interdependent guiding principles. This page provides resources for the guiding principle of Gender-responsive:

“(g) Gender-responsive. The Global Compact ensures that the human rights of women, men, girls and boys are respected at all stages of migration, that their specific needs are properly understood and addressed and that they are empowered as agents of change. It mainstreams a gender perspective and promotes gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, recognizing their independence, agency and leadership in order to move away from addressing migrant women primarily through a lens of victimhood" (GCM, 2018: para. 15)

Gender has an impact on every aspect of migration, from why a person may be motivated to migrate, how these journeys are undertaken to arrival and integration in the country of destination and return. Even upon arrival in the country of reception, gender influences how migrants are able to integrate into their new environment. In positive scenarios, migration can be both the result and source of agency and empowerment. However, women, girls and those with diverse gender identities and/or expressions often face disproportionate risks of facing vulnerable situations and human rights violations. Existing laws and practices, as well as societal attitudes, can perpetuate structural gender inequalities and systematic gender-based discrimination. Migrants’ sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and/or sex characteristics (SOGIESC) may increase the risk of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Implementing a gender-responsive approach requires a gender-specific analysis of how policies and projects affect migrants of all genders, including those who are transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming, and those who are intersex (see glossary). 

 

Gender-responsive in the text of the Global Compact

The guiding principle of theme is also mentioned in the following sections of the GCM:

  • Objective 2, para. 18(b): Minimize the adverse drivers and structural factors that compel people to leave their country of origin
  • Objective 3, para. 19(c)(d)(e): Provide accurate and timely information at all stages of migration
  • Objective 4, para. 20(d): Ensure that all migrants have proof of legal identity and adequate documentation
  • Objective 5, para. 21(a)(d): Enhance availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration
  • Objective 6, para. 22(k): Facilitate fair and ethical recruitment and safeguard conditions that ensure decent work
  • Objective 7, para. 23(a)(b)(c): Address and reduce vulnerabilities in migration
  • Objective 9, para. 25(c): Strengthen the transnational response to smuggling of migrants
  • Objective 11, para. 27: Manage borders in an integrated, secure and coordinated manner
  • Objective 12, para. 28(c): Strengthen certainty and predictability in migration procedures for appropriate screening, assessment and referral
  • Objective 14, para. 30(d): Enhance consular protection, assistance and cooperation throughout the migration cycle
  • Objective 15, para. 31(c): Provide access to basic services for migrants
  • Objective 16, para. 32(a)(e)(g)(i): Empower migrants and societies to realize full inclusion and social cohesion
  • Objective 18, para. 34(h): Invest in skills development and facilitate mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences
  • Objective 20, para. 36(e)(h): Promote faster, safer and cheaper transfer of remittances and foster financial inclusion of migrants
  • Objective 21, para. 37(b): Cooperate in facilitating safe and dignified return and readmission, as well as sustainable reintegration

The Global Compact for Migration (GCM) report is available in AR, ZH, EN, FR, RU, ES.

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*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).