IUSSP to assist in preparations for UN General Assembly Summit to address large movements of refugees and migrants

United Nations, New York, 
- 18 July 2016 (stakeholder hearings)
- 19 September 2016 (UN General Assembly Summit)

The UN General Assembly will host a High-level Meeting on 19 September 2016 to address large movements of refugees and migrants. The aim of the Summit is to (a) strengthen international cooperation to ensure the safety and dignity of refugees and other migrants in mass population movements, (b) adopt a global compact to share responsibilities for refugees, and (c) start a two-year process to develop a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. In preparation for the 19 September Summit, informal hearings with civil society will be held on 18 July. 

At the request of the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly, the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) have established a civil society Steering Committee that will support broad and inclusive participation of civil society in the 19 September Summit and the 18 July stakeholder hearings, both taking place at UN Headquarters in New York. The main task of the Steering Committee is to provide inputs to the programme for the 18 July hearings and to recommend civil society speakers for both events.

IUSSP has been selected as one of the 25 organizations to serve on the Steering Committee. Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi and Ellen Kraly will represent IUSSP. Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi was the Chair of the IUSSP Scientific Panel on the Demography of Refugee and Forced Migration (2011-2014) and Ellen Kraly participated in the Panel’s Seminar on Demographic Perspectives on Forced Migration and Refugees held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, 14-16 May 2012, and is editing a book based on papers presented at the seminar.

• Deadline to apply to attend or speak at the 19 September High-level meeting: 31 July 2016.