Bangladesh. Cox’s Bazar district, 2017. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society distributing tarpaulins for thousands of migrants living in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar district, south eastern Bangladesh on 8 April, 2017. Since October 2016, almost 75,000 people have fled violence in the northern area of Rakhine State in neighbouring Myanmar and arrived in Bangladesh. Many are living in unplanned and overcrowded settlements in the district of Cox’s Bazar where living conditions are extremely poor. On 20 March 2016, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched a 3.2 million Swiss Francs emergency appeal in support of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society’s efforts to address the most urgent humanitarian needs of the newly arrived migrants in Cox’s Bazar. The appeal seeks to ensure that 25,000 of the new arrivals will receive food aid and other emergency relief items, including shelter materials, together with clean water, sanitation, psychosocial support and health care over a nine month period. Photo: Mirva Helenius / IFRCEvery month two TRC mobile clinics head to Machachai, the centre of Thailand’s seafood processing industry, to perform dental work for Burmese migrants. Each mobile clinic is equipped with a team of three doctors and a nurse. During each monthly visit, the TRC team offers dental services to about 20 patients ( both by appointment and walk-ins). Migrants highly appreciate this service because it is free, fast and easily accessible.Thai Red Cross mobile dental clinic: Thai Red Cross nurse assesses vital signs of patients while they are waiting for their turn to see a dentist.Thai Red Cross equips Burmese migrant workers with life-saving techniques in September 2016. Photo by IFRC.Thai Red Cross equips Burmese migrant workers with life-saving techniques in September 2016. Photo by IFRC.Thai Red Cross equips Burmese migrant workers with life-saving techniques in September 2016. Photo by IFRC.

The Regional Perspective

Migration and displacement remains one of the biggest global challenges facing States and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement today. Without sufficient legal and humanitarian protection, migrants are often “living at the margin of conventional health, social and legal systems”, more likely to face increased vulnerability and subject to abuse and exploitation.

The rapidly growing magnitude and complexity of the migration phenomena requires urgent and coordinated action from the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, governments and humanitarian actors. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) works as part of a global team to support and facilitate the dynamic work of 38 Red Cross and Red Cross Societies across the Asia Pacific region.

Through its auxiliary role to authorities, the Red Cross Red Crescent is well positioned to support improvements in labour laws, policies and programmes for migrant workers and to ensure that they are able to access basic health and welfare services while addressing cultural and language challenges, discrimination and violence related issues. In emergency and crisis contexts, the Red Cross Red Crescent is able to provide critical emergency support, from shelter to fresh water and sanitation, vital health care and longer term support for livelihoods, education and Restoring Family Links (RFL).

Learn more about IFRC global work in migration here.

Latest Resources

Addressing the Humanitarian Consequences of Labour Migration and Trafficking: The Role of Asia Pacific National Societies

Addressing the Humanitarian Consequences of Labour Migration and Trafficking: The Role of Asia Pacific National Societies

This Note provides guidance for the assistance, protection and humanitarian diplomacy activities of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in the Asia Pacific region in the context of labour migration and trafficking. The Note builds upon existing International Red…

Loading

IFRC Asia Pacific Overview of Migration and Displacement Needs Assessment Guidance

IFRC Asia Pacific Overview of Migration and Displacement Needs Assessment Guidance

Loading

IFRC Asia Pacific Migration and Displacement Needs Assessment Guidance_Final_August21

IFRC Asia Pacific Migration and Displacement Needs Assessment Guidance_Final_August21

Loading

Thai_MIGRANT WORKERS AMIDST COVID-19: CONCERNS OF EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION

Thai_MIGRANT WORKERS AMIDST COVID-19: CONCERNS OF EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION

Loading

MIGRANT WORKERS AMIDST COVID-19: CONCERNS OF EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION

MIGRANT WORKERS AMIDST COVID-19: CONCERNS OF EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION

Loading

Responding to Disasters and Displacement in a Changing Climate

Responding to Disasters and Displacement in a Changing Climate

Loading

Report on Lessons Learnt: Cross-border Cooperation on Migrants Living with HIV/AIDS project

Report on Lessons Learnt: Cross-border Cooperation on Migrants Living with HIV/AIDS project

Loading

HIV/Migration Booklet-English

HIV/Migration Booklet-English

Loading

Bangkok Call for Action on Labour Migration

Bangkok Call for Action on Labour Migration

Loading

The Legal Framework for Migrants and Refugees: An Introduction to Red Cross and Red Crescent Staff and Volunteers

The Legal Framework for Migrants and Refugees: An Introduction to Red Cross and Red Crescent Staff and Volunteers

Loading

Labour Migration & Human Trafficking Infographic: Asia Pacific

Labour Migration & Human Trafficking Infographic: Asia Pacific

Loading

Guiding Documents and Updates

Policies and strategies

IFRC developed its Policy on Migration in 2009 after the adoption in 2007 by the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent of its Declaration “Together for Humanity” which included a section on humanitarian concerns generated by international migration (See Resolution). In 2017, the Council of Delegates passed a Resolution, a Movement Call for Action on the Humanitarian Needs of Vulnerable Migrants, and endorsed the IFRC Global Strategy on Migration: Reducing Vulnerability, Enhancing Resilience for the period 2018 to 2022.

 

Meeting reports

  • 2017 IFRC Report of Philippines returns lessons learned workshop
  • 2017 IFRC Migration and Health Asia Pacific Regional Meeting Report
  • 2016 Mobilising the Movement Final Report

Online Learning

  • Human Rights: The Rights of Refugees

    This 15-hour online course from Amnesty International teaches about the human rights of refugees and ways to protect and promote these rights.

  • Migration for Development Project Cycle Management

    E-training on Project Cycle Management with a specific focus on migration that has been produced by JDMI (a network of UN agencies led by UNDP). The course is a comprehensive tool on project cycle management, covering all phases from programming to evaluation, while providing tips based on the experiences of the JMDI projects. Collectively, the 6 modules in the tool will help the learner to:

    • identify and address their local migration and development problems
    • choose their team
    • formulate key project documents
    • initiate, manage and monitor their migration and development project
    • prepare for both internal and external evaluations.

  • Project planning

    Online course – 30 minutes on IFRC Learning Platform (log in required)

  • Project management essentials

    Online course – 30 minutes on IFRC Learning Platform (log in required)

  • SWOT analysis

    Online course – 30 minutes on IFRC Learning Platform (log in required)

  • Anticipating project risks

    Online course – 30 minutes on IFRC Learning Platform (log in required)

  • Accountability: ``Blame and responsibility``-an opportunity to restore trust?

    Material – 1 hour 35 minutes on IFRC Learning Platform (log in required)

  • 2018: Introductory Course to Red Cross Red Crescent's Approach to Migration

    Available in French and Spanish

  • 2019: Massive Online Open Course on the Move

    Under development

News and updates

Global

  • Learn more about IFRC’s ongoing global work in migration here.
  • 2014-2017 For information about the global Rights of Migrants in Action initiative, click here.

 

Regional

 

National

 

Newsletter

Click to link to FedNet page on Asia Pacific Migration Network, log in is required.

Events

Contact

Helen Brunt, Regional Migration and Displacement Coordinator
helen.brunt@ifrc.org

[wpv-view name=”migration-document-view”]

Search all documents

Loading