Project launch: Enhancing protection and empowerment of migrants and communities affected by climate change and disasters in the Pacific region

March 21, 2019
Events

Background

The Pacific region is extremely vulnerable to climate change and natural hazards which intersects with all domains of human security contributing to migration flows, displacement and relocation within and outside the sub-region. To support Pacific Island Governments to address this multifaceted challenge, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) together with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with non-UN implementing partners Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Platform on Disaster Displacement will begin implementation on the project, Enhancing Protection and Empowerment of Migrants and Communities Affected by Climate Change and Disasters in the Pacific region from 2019 onwards.

The three year project, funded by the UN Trust Fund for Human Security, builds on the lessons learned and progress made by the EU-funded Pacific Climate Change and Migration (PCCM) Project implemented by ESCAP in partnership with UNDP and ILO from June 2013 to December 2016. The project is aligned with global, regional and national policy frameworks that call for an integrated approach to address climate change and disaster related-migration, displacement and planned relocation as it aims to protect and empower communities adversely affected by climate change and disasters in the Pacific region. The main objective areas include a regional human security-based response to climate change and disaster related-migration, displacement and planned relocation, safe labour migration and a contribution to evidence-based best practices.

On 26 March 2019, the project launch will bring together representatives from Governments, including Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu that are included under the project scope as well as other Pacific Island governments, regional organisations, civil society, UN agencies and donors. The meeting will provide an opportunity for participants to express their commitment to the project, understand its objectives, roles of implementing agencies and to share their perspectives on enhancing protection and empowerment of migrants and communities affected by climate change and disasters.

The project launch will be held back to back with the stakeholder consultation on the action document and project proposal on Understanding and enhancing preparedness and response to risks of disaster displacement in the Pacific from 27-28 March in Suva, Fiji.