CNDH champions migration rights across Africa

The African continent has seen a considerable increase in regional migration, with over 29 million individuals currently on the move. In an effort to reshape the governance of migration, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) held a pivotal roundtable in Rabat today.

In collaboration with the UN Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) and the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI), this event introduced General Comment No. 6. This interpretative text encourages states to prioritize human rights within their migration policies.

General Comment No. 6 draws from the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, adopted in 1990, as well as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), established in 2018 in Marrakech. While the convention is legally binding, the GCM is not; both frameworks, however, aim to ensure dignity, fairness, and legal protections for migrants.

The roundtable convened a diverse group of participants, including government officials, lawmakers, judiciary members, UN representatives, African Union delegates, civil society organizations, and national human rights institutions from across the continent.

The timing of this meeting is crucial, as the continent grapples with a surge in internal migration. Notably, 86% of migrants in Africa originate from within the continent, a fact often overlooked in global discussions. The General Comment advocates for policies that recognize this reality and promote African-led solutions.

Central to today's discussions was a call to align legal frameworks with the lived experiences of migrants. The text affirms rights to education, access to justice, freedom of expression, decent work, and protection upon return. It emphasizes the importance of national human rights institutions in combating racial and ethnic profiling while defending legal identity and recognition.

Morocco has played a significant role in the development of General Comment No. 6, hosting numerous consultations that contributed to its final draft, including a key meeting in Agadir. The CNDH collaborated with Ibn Zohr University and civil society groups to conduct workshops that fostered regional understanding of the document.

Amina Bouayach, President of the CNDH, highlighted the extensive efforts that culminated in the creation of General Comment No. 6. “This work required more than two years of effort by committee members,” she noted during the roundtable with UN and African human rights institutions. “Today, we present this observation to enhance and expand protections for migrants and their families within any state’s territory.”

Joseph Whittal, Chairperson of the NANHRI, discussed forthcoming partnerships during his visit to the CNDH headquarters. He mentioned, “We are currently negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding to establish how NANHRI will collaborate with the UN Committee in practical ways.” This partnership aims to protect Africa’s 29.2 million international migrants through actions aligned with General Comment No. 6.

One of the key outcomes of today’s meeting was the formal signing of a cooperation agreement between the CMW and NANHRI, marking a significant step toward strengthening partnerships for the protection of migrants across Africa.

By prioritizing rights over rhetoric and amplifying African voices in the discourse, the roundtable signifies a growing consensus: effective migration management cannot rely solely on border control. It necessitates fairness, respect, and policies rooted in the realities faced by individuals on the move.