04 December 2015 - The Philippines led a group of 15 countries, namely, Belarus, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Luxembourg, Thailand, Turkey, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uruguay, and Venezuela, and the member states of the African Group which are also members of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in advocating for the health of migrants last November 24.
Ambassador Cecilia B. Rebong, the Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, read the joint statement on migration and health at the 106th meeting of the IOM Council, which is the highest policy making body of the IOM.
Ambassador Rebong noted, “As large numbers of people move, particularly, from conflict areas, health challenges faced by migrants heightens.”
She stressed that “it is critical that the IOM continued the vigorous promotion of migrants’ health services and the provision of assistance to Member States to help ameliorate these health challenges that confront, in most cases, vulnerable migrants.“
Ambassador Rebong also reminded the IOM member states that there is the need “to enhance migrant sensitive health policies” and “the capacity of health service providers and professionals, with particular, reference to their gender and cultural sensitivity skills, to contribute to better outcomes on migrant health.”
She added that the IOM and its partners must facilitate the strengthening health services “to enable equitable access for migrants”.
Ambassador Rebong also expressed the group support for the establishment of a multi-sectoral platform for cooperation, engagement and partnership and policy coordination among UN agencies and international organizations in support of migration and health.
IOM is the leading international organization on migration. Founded 64 years ago, the IOM has 163 member countries. END