What is International Migrants Day ( IMD)?
International Migrants Day is officially celebrated on 18th December every year around the world since 2000. It is an opportunity:
to recognize the contributions made by millions of migrants to the development and well-being of so many countries in the world;
to demand an end to all forms of abuse and violence against migrants and their families and promote respect for their basic human rights;
to call on governments around the world to ratify the UN Convention on Migrant Workers;
to hold governments accountable with regards to the rights of migrants.
IMD aims to put the issues that are of key interest to migrants and their communities (those they live in and those they leave behind) on the agenda, highlight the challenges they encounter and celebrate their achievements.
Why 18th December?
In 1997, migrant groups in Asia began celebrating and promoting 18th December as an international day of solidarity with migrants. They chose this date because of its symbolic value since it was on 18th December 1990 that the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and this after almost a decade of governmental negotiations and relentless advocacy by migrant communities around the world. The first IMD event took place at the UN Building in Manila, Philippines, with the participation of local authorities, foreign diplomats and representatives of international organisations and NGOs.