Inter-American Principles on the Human Rights of Migrants, including Refugees and Other Persons, in the Context of Mixed Migration Movements

The IMBR Initiative has worked closely with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to develop a set of principles addressing the rights of migrants in the Americas. The Americas have a rich migration history and a robust human rights system, but a surprising gap persisted: the lack of a single set of norms or guidelines for human rights during the migration process.

The Inter-American Principles largely reflect the influence and language of the IMBR while also drawing upon regional jurisprudence.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is currently is seeking comments through a Questionnaire on the draft Inter-American Principles on the Human Rights of Migrants, Refugees and Other Persons, in the Context of Mixed Migration Movements. The Questionnaire is available in English and Spanish and may be submitted until February 18, 2019.

Migrants Rights Indicators and Database.

The IMBR Initiative has created a set of indicators to evaluate State compliance with the rights and norms articulated in the text of the IMBR, and, through support from the World Bank and KNOMAD, piloted the indicators in five principal destination States: Germany, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and Turkey. The results represent a powerful tool for identifying common legal baselines and benchmarking State compliance with the law and, through this, identifying specific areas to change State practice. The IMBR Initiative is now seeking to expand this project beyond these initial pilot countries.

Documents related to the Indicators:

• Migrants Rights Database: Pilot Study Report.

Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

The IMBR Initiative actively provided analysis and support leading up to the 2017 United Nations New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and throughout the following negotiation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The IMBR Initiative presented key findings at preparatory meetings in Geneva and New York, written analysis of initial drafts, and individual technical support and legal commentary for the co-facilitators, States, and civil society.

The IMBR Initiative made contributions that helped shape State commitments on several topics, including non-refoulement, vulnerable migrants and prohibited grounds for discrimination, detention, due process, freedoms, and references to human rights.

Documents related to the Global Compact:

• Analysis of Migrant Rights in the New York Declaration.
• Comments following the Geneva Preparatory Session on the Human Rights of Migrants.
• IMBR Initiative Observations & Recommendations For Revisions To The Global Compact Draft.

Other Areas of Work

In the fall of 2014, the IMBR Initiative joined the International Detention Coalition and a broad coalition of civil society organizations to petition for a thematic hearing on the detention of migrants before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The IMBR Initiative provided Written Testimony & Memorandum of Law for the hearing. (See also the Hearing Request in Spanish and Hearing Request in English).

In the fall of 2013, the IMBR Initiative submitted a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requesting a thematic hearing on the rights of migrants and the application of the IMBR to the Americas.

In the fall of 2013, the IMBR Initiative submitted a statement to the United Nations High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development.