AEGiS-IFRC: European Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies make health and assistance to irregular migrants priorities

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

European Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies make health and assistance to irregular migrants priorities

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - 24 May 2007

In a series of commitments adopted at the closing of their 7th Regional Conference, 50 European Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies promised to protect, assist and support vulnerable migrants and re-asserted their right to access all people in need, irrespective of their legal status.

"National Societies have decided to make the delivery of humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants and to victims of human trafficking a priority," said Markku Niskala, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, adding that they would also advocate for "the regularization of all migrants whose status has remained undetermined for a long time."

The meeting, which began on 20 May and ended today, brought together 300 participants, representing European Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation Secretariat, the International Committee of the Red Cross and partner organizations.

National Societies also pledged to remind governments to respect the human rights of all migrants and will advocate for equal opportunities and equal treatment for migrants seeking work and a sustainable future.

The number of international migrants worldwide has doubled over the past 25 years, to 200 million, according to the International Organization for Migration. Most move voluntarily, some are forced to flee, and some leave their country in perilous situations, which endanger their life, or expose them to exploitation, prostitution and human trafficking.

"Week in and week out, our colleagues in Europe pull people in the worst imaginable state, out of the ocean," says Trygve G. Nordby, the Federation's Special Envoy on Migration and Displacement. "It is a humanitarian challenge as much as it is a political one."

The Istanbul conference also saw the adoption of a series of commitments in the field of health, with a strong focus on fighting stigmatization, and on involving marginalized people, youth and volunteers in the design and implementation of programmes.

"Together, we have committed to scaling up our actions to address increasing and changing needs in health and care services caused by ageing populations, migration, socio-economic crises, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis," said Tekin K kali, Chairman of the Turkish Red Crescent.

There were 445,000 new TB cases and 66,000 deaths in Europe in 2005, according to the World Health Organization while the rate of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is three times higher in the Baltic States, Eastern Europe and Central Asia than in any other region of the world. In 2006, according to UNAIDS, there were 2,440,000 people living with HIV, and 96,000 deaths in Europe and Central Asia.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Elif Unal Arslan, Information Officer, International Federation Tel. + 90 532 508 6904

Marie-Fran oise Borel, Communications Officer, International Federation Tel. + 41 79 416 3881

Selahattin Bostan, Turkish Red Crescent Tel. + 90 533 381 5429
070524
IF070503

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