International migration is a global phenomenon affecting virtually every country in the world. International Migrants Day is observed on 18 December in recognition of the 214 million migrants around the globe - more than three per cent of the world's population. It is a day when the Global Migration Group, as an inter-agency group bringing together heads of sixteen agencies, highlights its efforts to promote the wider application of all relevant international and regional instruments and norms relating to migration, and to encourage the adoption of more coherent, comprehensive and better coordinated approaches to the issue of international migration.

On the occasion of International Migrants Day 2012, the Global Migration Group notes the following events and statements by its constituent members:

·    In New York, the Population Division of UNDESA, in collaboration with UNODC, the current Chair of the GMG, has organized a briefing entitled, Towards the 2013 High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development: Joint Activities at the United Nations. All are invited to the briefing which takes place in New York (CR6, NLB) on 18 December, from 1.15 to 2.30 p.m. The meeting will also be webcasted on http://webtv.un.org/ [agenda]

·    Statement by the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and current Chair of the GMG on International Migrants Day 2012:“Violence Against Migrants”

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/speeches/message-on-international-migrants-day-2012.html

·    Message by the International Labour Organisations’s Director-General on the occasion of International Migrants Day: “Labour rights”

http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/who-we-are/ilo-director-general/statements-and-speeches/WCMS_195691/lang--en/index.htm

·    IOM’s press statement on International Migrants Day: “Migrant Workers Hit by Crises Need Comprehensive, Long Term Help”.

http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home/news-and-views/press-briefing-notes/pbn-2012/pbn-listing/migrant-workers-hit-by-crises-ne.html

·    Joint statement by UN experts, the IACHR Rapporteur on the Rights of Migrants and the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants on International Migrants Day:“Migrants deserve full recognition as rights holders”.

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12897&LangID=E

The Secretary-General’s Message for International Migrants Day 2012 can be found at:

http://www.un.org/en/events/migrantsday/2012/sgmessage.shtml