Family and Migration

family of migrants Migrants & Refugees Section

Family and Migration

Geneva, 25 september 2018 –  The Member Organisations of the Family Working Group (FWG) of the Forum of Catholic Inspired NGOs in Geneva organized a parallel-event, in conjunction with the 39th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on Family and Migration.

The event focused on the situation of migrating families during the past five-year period, highlighting especially the risks faced by their most vulnerable members. The goal of this side-event was to facilitate reflection and discussion on migration policies at global, national and local levels as they relate to the difficult burdens imposed on migrant families.

Fr Fabio Baggio c.s., undersecretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Holy See, was invited to talk about migrant families in the 20 action points for global compacts. In this document the M&R Section encourages “States to adopt policies and practices which promote and preserve the integrity and well-being of the family regardless of migratory status.” In 2017 Pope Francis repeated the same concept: “the family dimension of the process of integration must not be overlooked: for this reason I feel the need to reiterate the necessity, often presented by the Magisterium, of policies directed at favouring and benefiting the reunion of families.”

Read here Fr Fabio’s full statement.