International Migrants Day was celebrated in Baku

An event devoted to the International Migrants Day, 65th anniversary of the establishment of International Organization for Migration (IOM), 20th anniversary of functioning of IOM representation in Azerbaijan and 15th anniversary of our country’s membership to this agency was organized on December 19 jointly by IOM representation in Baku, State Migration Service and Ombudsperson’s Office.

The head of the representation of IOM in Azerbaijan Serhan Aktoprak, Deputy Chief of State Migration Service Parviz Musayev, Ombudsperson Elmira Suleymanova, Chair of the Public Council under SMS Azer Allahveranov and others delivered a speech mentioning the importance of the International Migrants Day in terms of drawing the society’s attention to the problems of migrants and raising awareness. It was pointed out that on December 18 1990 UN General Assembly has adopted the “Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and members of Their Families”. This convention has been ratified with the law of the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated from December 11, 1998. Since 2000 the December 18 is celebrated as International Migrants Day in the world. It was stated that at present there are more than 250 million migrants in the world which means that each 30th person is a migrant. The escalation of wars causes people to leave their countries and migration to occur. Thus, the right of people to live is violated. Last year more than 1 million migrants have moved to the European continent. There is need of protecting the migrants’ rights. The joint cooperation of competent state authorities, IOM, NGOs and other organizations in the solution of migration problem has an important role. The official entry of the International Organization for Migration to the UN system will contribute to the solution of this problem. It was highlighted that the protection of migrants’ rights is a part of human rights. Rights of every person should be ensured. UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. It was noted in the Declaration that the principle of non-discrimination should be the ground for the provision of all rights. Equality of everybody’s rights is envisaged in a special article in the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Information about the efficient results of migration policy in our country, works done in the direction of improving the migration legislation were delivered at the event. It was noted that the protection of migrants’ and human rights is a priority in Azerbaijan. Relevant laws, the Migration Code have been adopted; targeted measures have been taken in terms of solving migrants’ problems, protecting human rights and ensuring equality and residence of migrants has been facilitated in Azerbaijan. These all serve to the simplification of documentation procedures regarding migrants alongside with the protection of migrants’ rights. Our country has ratified more than 230 international conventions majority of which are related to the human rights. Azerbaijan has established migration management model which can be a sample for all countries of the world in terms of good attitude towards migrants and refugees. It was noted that it is more than 25 years that our territories have been occupied by the Armenian armed forces. However the rights of migrants were always at the center of our state’s attention. Our country has faced refugee flow since independence. More than 250 thousand Azerbaijanis have been forcibly expelled from their homeland by the Armenian troops for their ethnicity and were settled in our country. More than 1 million Azerbaijanis turned to refugees and internally displaced persons as a result of Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Those people are surrounded with the care of Azerbaijan. The respect to human rights in Azerbaijan made our country an attractive place for migrants. Azerbaijan has already become a country of destination rather than a country of origin for migrants. As a result of efficient measures taken by SMS the number of illegal migrants in our country dropped to minimum level. At the event it was highlighted that Azerbaijan, which already has more than 1 million refugees and IDPs receives and settles migrants hospitably. However, Europe demonstrates intolerance in receiving migrants. This once more proves that the activities carried out by Azerbaijan state can be a sample for the Europe. Azerbaijan is inclined to share its successful experience in migration management with all countries.

It was noted that, on December 8th of this year the “Cooperation Agreement between State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan and International Organization for Migration on Pilot Project on Assistance for the Voluntary Return of Migrants from Azerbaijan” was signed in Geneva.  The agreement which serves for the protection of migrants’ rights is a next success of Azerbaijan in the direction of migration policy. It was said that the Unified Migration Information System of State Migration Service serves for the protection of migrants’ rights in Azerbaijan. The data about migrants are saved in this system and they are controlled via this system. The regulation of migration processes has been simplified. A video devoted to the life stories of young girls who were forced to move from Syria to Lebanon was displayed at the event. After the speeches the migrants shared their insights about their experiences in Azerbaijan.