Just as COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted some communities more than others, globally, the virus has had an oversized negative impact on migrant workers.

Perhaps surprisingly, despite the bleak experience for foreign overseas workers during the pandemic, the effect on remittances—the flow of money they send back home—has, in many cases, proven resilient. But that trend may yet be upended.

El documento es producto de trece reuniones sostenidas entre la Oficina de la Secretaría General para la Crisis de Migrantes y Refugiados Venezolanos y la Coalición por Venezuela, conformada por 63 organizaciones de la sociedad civil que brindan asistencia a venezolanos en 23 países de la región.

“La situación de migrantes y refugiados venezolanos representa uno de los más grandes desafíos durante la pandemia por COVID-19, toda vez que ha supuesto el incremento de la dificultad para ejercicio pleno de sus derechos, tales como: acceso a la salud, a la educación, el derecho a la vida, a la vivienda, a la alimentación, al trabajo y la salvaguarda de los medios de vida,” señala el documento en la introducción.

“The hardship of COVID-19 felt by migrants in the form of lost wages and employment – often without government safety nets – is a large part of this crisis in remittances. The decline also results from a host of issues caused by the coronavirus that impact the services migrants use to send money home – including the restrictions placed on remittance services providers and their agents. The loss of this crucial financing lifeline is devastating for both the migrant households and receiving countries,” said Judith Karl, Executive Secretary for UNCDF. “UNCDF, together with UNDP, is committed to supporting the Member State-led call to action and to ensuring that every measure is available to facilitate migrants in sending remittances home.”

IOM is able to provide vital assistance to these vulnerable returnees with support from the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration financed by the European Union, in the framework of the Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the United States Department of State, and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.

El memorando actualiza y amplía un acuerdo previo entre ambas organizaciones que data de 1997. Uno de los objetivos clave de este año será apoyar los actuales esfuerzos para proteger frente a la COVID-19 a unos 70 millones de personas desplazadas por la fuerza. De ellas, unos 26 millones son personas refugiadas y el 80 por ciento se encuentran acogidas en países de ingresos bajos y medios que cuentan con sistemas sanitarios precarios. A esta cifra se unen unos 40 millones de desplazados internos que también requieren asistencia.

In Europe and in the world, all minds are focused on actions to tackle the outbreak of COVID-19 and mitigate the effects of the crisis. The European Union works on all fronts to support these efforts. We take this opportunity to thank all those who are working tirelessly to contain the pandemic and care for those in need, anywhere in the world.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, misinformation and hate speech are spreading with devastating consequences for migrants, refugees and other vulnerable groups.  

The United Nations Network on Migration released urgently needed practical recommendations with guidance for States and stakeholders on preventing and responding to COVID-19 in the context of immigration detention. By focusing on the development of non-custodial alternatives based in the community, the brief highlights steps that several governments have already taken to swiftly release migrants from detention and to provide access to healthcare, housing and other services regardless of migration status. The Network looks forward to feedback from all partners and to updating these recommendations on an ongoing basis. 

Sarajevo – A 1,000-bed camp for homeless migrants has begun operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with IOM support. The new facility, in the northern city of Bihac will remain open for the duration of the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

En un momento en el que el mundo se está movilizando para combatir la propagación del virus COVID-19, muchos países dentro y fuera de Europa han implementado medidas extraordinarias para gestionar sus fronteras, limitando los viajes por vía aérea y los movimientos transfronterizos. ACNUR, la Agencia de la ONU para los Refugiados, ha pedido hoy a los países europeos que, en estos tiempos difíciles, mantengan las buenas prácticas y redoblen sus esfuerzos para fortalecer los sistemas de asilo en Europa.

Migration on the world’s busiest maritime route from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Gulf has dropped dramatically since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic while stigmatization and ill-treatment of migrants are increasing.