International Migrants Day

18 December has been proclaimed International Migrants Day by the UN General Secretary in December 2000 as a reference to the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families on 18 December 1990.  

On International Migrants Day, UN Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are invited to disseminate information on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, and to share experiences and design actions to ensure their protection.

On the occasion of the 2014 International Migrants Day, the Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, made the following statement: “On International Migrants Day, we are reminded that migrants are an important part of our daily lives. Migration has helped us grow stronger economically, culturally and socially”. Read the full press release.

The contribution of the Federal Migration Center on 18 December 2014

In partnership with the Institute for High Studies on Social Communications, the Federal Migration Center planned several activities to raise awareness and share knowledge on migration in Belgium and in the world. These activities were displayed at the Brussels-Midi Station all day long.

A dedicated website (in French and Dutch only) has been set up by the Federal Migration Center to support the initiative.

Belgian labour unions and civil society organization advocating for more rights for labour migrants

The General Labour Federation in Belgium, together with the Christian Unions Confederation and the civil society organization Coordination and Initiatives for Refugees and Foreigners, gathered to organize a meeting minister offices for labour and employment in order to call for more rights to migrant workers and respect of their rights.  Read more on this action (in French).