A/HRC/56/54
91.
States highlight cultural events as key to migrant social inclusion and cohesion.
Several countries consider language instruction to be crucial for migrants’ social inclusion,
as it improves their access to education, job opportunities and health services. 97
92.
Under international human rights law, everyone has the right to social security in order
to ensure a minimum standard of dignity. This includes affordable access to health care and
family support, support for illness, injury or disability and the right to benefit from social
security schemes to which they contribute. Extending all social security rights is central to
ensuring protective labour law and guaranteeing decent work for all.
93.
Access to education is crucial for migrant integration but often falls short in practice,
leading to lower outcomes for migrants. Irregular migrants may forgo the education of their
children for fear of deportation. In Germany, the separation of school and immigration
reporting has improved school attendance, as have simplified school registration processes
in Thailand.98
94.
Family reunification aids migrants’ social inclusion, enhancing community
integration through schools, sports and other social activities.99 In Australia, for example, the
Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme allows workers from Pacific island States and
Timor-Leste on work placements of one to four years to bring their families under employer
sponsorship, with access to work, study, public schooling, tax benefits and subsidized health
care.100
95.
Labour market access is considered crucial, with the potential to add $1 trillion to
gross world product annually.101 States offer training and information to aid migrants in their
job searches. Greece launched myDYPAlive, a digital platform providing personalized job
counselling in 14 languages, while Armenia expedited labour market entry with a digital
platform.102
96.
Recognizing migrants’ educational credentials is key for employment and skills
utilization. Denmark offers a centralized system for credential recognition. 103 Alongside
UNHCR and European partners, Serbia provides assistance in validating the qualifications
of asylum-seekers and refugees.104
97.
Forty-five countries now grant voting rights to non-citizens in local or regional
elections. European Union citizens residing in another European Union country have the right
to vote and stand in local elections, and around half of European Union countries extend these
rights to non-European Union nationals.105
98.
Mobile apps and web platforms are increasingly pivotal for migrant integration. IOM
trialled an urban diagnostic toolkit in Agadir, Morocco, to collect migrant feedback in order
to address integration challenges.106 The “Clique Cidadania” application launched by Brazil
offers migrants information on rights and services.107
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
16
See Céline Bauloz, Zana Vathi and Diego Acosta, “Migration, inclusion and social cohesion:
challenges, recent developments and opportunities”, in World Migration Report 2020, McAuliffe and
Khadria, eds.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Submission by Australia.
See Bauloz, Vathi and Acosta, “Migration, inclusion and social cohesion”.
Submissions by Armenia and Greece.
Bauloz, Vathi and Acosta, “Migration, inclusion and social cohesion”, p. 195.
Submission by Serbia.
See Aleksandra Jolinka, “Local voting rights for non-EU nationals in the EU: democratic principle or
earned privilege?”, Routed, 20 February 2021.
See https://www.iom.int/project/supporting-municipality-agadir-promoting-migrant-integrationmorocco.
Submission by Brazil.
GE.24-07075