The impact of migration on development has been recognized by the EU through its Global Approach to Migration (GAM), the external dimension of the EU's migration policy. But since its adoption in 2005, the ‘Global Approach’ has been mainly ‘interpartes' (the states of origins and destinations) and has left aside the status of the rights, and voices of migrants as well as the growing phenomenon of children  on  the move.

The benefits of migration for development depend on the degree to which migrants are protected and empowered by countries from which they come and the Member States in which they live and work, regardless of their legal status. UNDP has observed that people are the 'real wealth of nations 'and their human development is the basis for economic development.

The European Commission released a  new ‘Global Approach to Migration and Mobility (GAMM)’, on 18 November 2011, which calls for ‘a migrant-centered approach’ and the mainstreaming of human rights protections throughout the migration cycle.  In parallel,  a new European agenda for the integration of non-EU nationals was proposed in July 2011. This agenda seeks to increase economic, social, cultural and political participation by migrants and creates opportunities for increased policy coherence for development (PCD).

On the occasion of the 6th edition of European Development Days in Warsaw, the Red Cross/EU Office, the European Network on Migration and Development (EUNOMAD), SOLIDAR, and Terre des Hommes International Federation (TDHIF) will have the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on the relations between human development and migration, both from the perspective of ensuring a rights based approach and putting migrants including 'children on the move' at the core of human development policies.

Panellists

-Mrs Anais Faure Atger, Research Fellow in the Justice and Home Affairs Programme for Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
-Mr Tony Lucas Elumelu, Principal Programme Officer in charge of Migration of Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)
-Mr Robertus Rozenburg, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission’s Home Affairs Directorate (DG Home Affairs)
-Mr Traoré Mamadou, Secretary Executive of the Malian Red Cross
-Mrs Federica Giannotta, Advocacy and Child Rights Officer, Terre des Hommes Italy
-Mr Ignacio Packer, Incoming General Secretary of Terre des Hommes International Federation
-Mr Michael Oberreuter, Migration Advisor, SOLIDAR
-Mrs Charito Basa, Filipinos Women's council, European Network on Migration and Development (EUNOMAD), Italy
-Mrs Pascale Charhon, Policy and Advocacy Senior Manager, EUNOMAD

Moderator

-Ms Shada Islam, Head of Policy, Friends of Europe