Migration, Asylum, and Humanitarian Challenges: Between International Responsibility and National Commitments

12 December 2024, Baghdad, Iraq (ILO News): Under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Iraq, Engineer Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, the International Conference on Migration, Asylum, and Humanitarian Challenges concluded today at the "Beit Al-Hikma" Intellectual Center in Baghdad. The conference was organized in cooperation with the ILO, various national governmental institutions, universities, and academic and research centers from Iraq, the Arab region, and the world. It brought together academics, national and international partners from various sectors to discuss migration and asylum issues globally, with a particular focus on the Arab world. The ILO provided technical and financial support to this conference as part of its efforts under the EU-funded Social Protection Reform Program in Iraq.

The conference focused on the realities of migration and asylum in Iraq, the Arab world, and the international context. It hosted academics from over 20 countries, presenting 140 research papers addressing different aspects of migration and asylum issues. Participants came from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Turkey, France, China, the United States, Bangladesh, and Iran.

The conference discussions aimed to explore the various factors driving youth migration, understand the needs and vulnerabilities of migrants and refugees, and highlight migration and asylum issues, human rights, and the rights of migrant workers to decent work and social guarantees.

Over two days, the conference examined the policies and measures needed to govern migration, ensuring the rights of migrants, returnees, and refugees, reducing the risks they face, facilitating decent employment opportunities, protecting their legal, economic, and social rights, and combating human trafficking, forced labor, and migrant smuggling.

The conference shed light on migration, displacement, and asylum in Iraq and the Arab world through research and statistics, aiming to identify the main challenges facing countries in governing migration.

In his opening speech, Professor Abdul Baqi Al-Khazraji, a member of the Board of Trustees of Beit Al-Hikma and chair of the conference’s preparatory committee, stated:
"Migration is often the result of searching for a better life, but it faces significant challenges that require cooperation to find sustainable solutions that protect youth, the true wealth of society. To counter this critical phenomenon that has significantly impacted Iraqi society in recent years, he emphasized the importance of cooperation, solidarity, and joint action, stressing the need to find effective solutions to retain the country's most precious resource—its youth—as the spirit of the future, hope of society, and an invaluable treasure."

This conference comes at a time when the Arab region is experiencing waves of displacement, migration, and asylum due to security events in recent months. This reflects the importance of this issue during such a critical period, requiring concerted efforts at the international and regional levels to mitigate the economic and social impacts on affected groups, particularly displaced persons and refugees, through national social protection systems in the region. It also emphasizes the need for employment policies to include clear objectives in this regard.

Understanding the root causes and motivations behind migration and asylum is one of the most critical steps in developing policies and strategies for migration governance. In his speech at the conference, Mr. Karim Al-Nouri, Deputy Minister of Migration, stated:
"We are looking to address the causes, not the results. Unfortunately, most previous efforts focused on finding solutions after the events occurred. Today, we are trying to address the causes of migration. Iraq has earned the respect of international organizations, the European Union, and the United Nations for its continuous cooperation in this field."

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underscores the interdependence of economic growth and decent work, aiming to foster sustainable, inclusive prosperity. This is particularly vital for the many low-skilled migrant and refugee workers often trapped in exploitative, low-wage conditions. When migrants are in irregular situations, they are frequently pushed into informal economies, limiting their earnings and diminishing their capacity to contribute to the development of both origin and host countries.

Dr. Maha Kattaa, the ILO Country Coordinator in Iraq, stated: “The importance of adopting international labour agreements is fundamental to the governance of migration and asylum, as economic and social reasons in general and labour in particular are among the main drivers. This requires putting these agreements into effect, especially by the countries that ratified them. By strengthening the capacities of labour inspection departments, expanding social security coverage, and enhancing dialogue between workers, employers, and unions, Iraq can chart a path toward a just and sustainable future that provides decent work opportunities for all.”

The conference covered four main themes: the historical and social dimensions of migration, factors influencing displacement movements, ways to enhance social protection for migrants, and the rights of irregular migrant workers.

During the conference, the ILO organized a dialogue session on migration, asylum, and decent work. The session featured ILO experts, government officials from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Planning, and representatives from labor organizations and the Iraqi Federation of Industries. Discussions addressed governmental measures to regulate foreign labor, achievements made, and ongoing challenges in this field. Labor and employer organizations presented their actions to protect migrant workers’ rights, implementing Labor Law No. 37 of 2015 and the Pension and Social Security Law No. 18 of 2023, which ensure protections for migrant workers equal to national workers. ILO experts highlighted the situation of migrant labor in the Arab region, international labor standards, and implemented programs.

The conference concluded with recommendations to enhance integrated national policies supporting migration governance, maintaining collaboration between Iraq and its international partners to achieve sustainable development that promotes decent work and social protection.

The ILO continues to provide technical support to the Iraqi government and social partners through the Decent Work Program in the country, reinforcing development goals centered on decent work and social protection.

Under the EU-funded program for social protection reform in Iraq, the ILO collaborates with Beit Al-Hikma through various labor market activities and the social protection system. Events like this conference revolve around promoting decent work through diverse policies, programs, and activities involving national partners from the government, labor organizations, employer organizations, civil society, research centers, and academic experts. The goal is to foster dialogue and propose systematic, context-specific solutions to ensure inclusive economic growth and social development in Iraq.