The Building of Social Movements on Migration in Africa

Migration is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that shapes social, economic, and political dynamics in Africa. In 2020, the total number of African migrants was estimated at 40.6 million (Africa & Europe, Facts and figures on migration, 2023). Less than one-third (27.2%) of all African migrants live in Europe, however, the continent is under pressure mainly by European countries and the US to make decisions on migration flows.

In this context, the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) plays a key role as an international platform for promoting inclusive and sustainable migration policies dialogue. In Africa, where migration issues like labor, internal migration and the Free Movement Protocol, regularization, diaspora, climate change and migration, etc. are particularly pressing, the GFMD contributes to building The Pan African Network in the Defense of Migrants’ Rights (PANiDMR) as a social movement around migration in Africa by promoting dialogue among the very diverse of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), cooperation between them coming from different regions of the continent and from diaspora, and the exchange of best practices within and out of the continent networks and movements.

GFMD, a platform for dialogue and cooperation

Created in 2007, the GFMD is a non-binding space and voluntary process that brings together governments, international organizations, civil society, private sector, municipalities and other stakeholders to discuss the links between migration and development. Unlike other fora, the GFMD is distinguished by its inclusive and participatory approach after a long advocacy work by CSOs after the first edition, which allows African actors to make their voices heard and share their experiences during the events and in-between editions.

In Africa, where migration is often viewed through the prism of challenges (such as forced displacement, human trafficking, or the risks associated with pathways migration), the GFMD offers an opportunity to highlight the positive aspects of migration. By encouraging exchanges between countries of origin, transit, and destination, the GFMD contributes to a better understanding of migration issues and the formulation of more progressist, balanced and development-oriented migration policies in some countries like Mali.

Strengthening capacities and promoting good practices

One of the GFMD's major contributions in Africa is its role in capacity building through networks and movements. Through workshops, training, and knowledge-sharing initiatives, the participant stakeholders of GFMD help governments and local organizations to better manage migration governance in sharing practices and maximize the benefits of migration for development.

In addition, the GFMD serves as a catalyst for the dissemination of good practices. Successful experiences in migration management tools, such as the Global Compact on Migration, the Global Compact on Refugees are shared and adapted to African contexts. This allows countries in the region to learn from the successes and failures of other regions of the world.

African civil society, a key player but scattered before the GFMD meetings

The GFMD recognizes the crucial importance of civil society in building a social movement on migration. In Africa, civil society organizations play an essential role in defending migrants' rights, raising awareness of migration issues, and promoting inclusive policies. The GFMD provides these organizations with a platform to express themselves, collaborate with governments, and influence policy decisions.

The lack of cohesiveness amongst African organizations had contributed to the lack of visibility of African civil society perspectives defending migrants’ rights at the regional and international level. Unity of African civil society organizations are especially necessary in order to have African voices heard. For years, the paradigm through which Africa has been seen, on issues like poverty, trade, and development have come from views dominated by the North, such as those of Western nations, and Western-dominated institutions.

Further, the lack of a cohesiveness among African civil society leaves a gap in the availability of a clear point of contact with legitimacy that can represent African views defending migrants’ rights. Thus, it has traditionally been more difficult for civil society organizations and movements in other regions, as well as the media and others, to hear this perspective.

Furthermore, African civil society organizations did not have a solid organizational structure to serve as a tool against violence against migrants and diasporas and to be able to engage in debates on migration and development in order to better highlight their limitations in terms of protecting migrants.

PANiDMR, a response to the gap

Recognizing these gaps and challenges, Migrants’ Rights International (MRI) began engaging African civil society leaders in early 2007 towards the GFMD in Brussels later that year. This in turn led to an African Caucus during the 2008 People’s Global Action on Migration, Development & Human Rights (PGA) in Manila during GFMD summit.

This caucus in turn, began a year-long process which then led to an African Civil Society Conference on Migration and Development in Bamako (Mali) in July 2010. Organized and hosted by the Institute for Research and Promotion of Alternatives in Development (IRPAD) in Mali, this historical conference brought together more than 25 civil society organizations and networks working on both migration and development issues around Africa, with key representation from West, East, North, and South Africa. During the conference, there was unanimous agreement and recognition about the need of a more cohesive Africa-wide network and infrastructure than can respond to the challenges. The participants committed to promote strategies to defend migrants' rights through campaigns, capacity-building initiatives, and strengthening advocacy actions at the national, sub-regional, African, and international levels.

As a result, the conference launched the Pan-African Network in Defense of Migrants’ Rights (PANiDMR). Since then, the PANiDMR has held many other international meetings et contributed to the building or consolidation of other strong movement like the Global Coalition on Migration (GCM), Women in Migration Network, and finally the African Non-State actors in Migration and Development named “The Africa Group”.

The Pan African Network in Defense of Migrants Rights (PANiDMR) is an organization that is Africa-led and brings together voices of Africans in the continent and the Diaspora, to promote the well-being and interests of migrants, refugees, and stateless persons from Africa. The Network among multiple stakeholders from Africa and the Diaspora and works closely with global partners who also uphold similar principles to protect and advance the rights of migrants. Achievements include among others the training of more than 600 persons on migration governance, the active official participation to the whole negotiation of the Global Compact on Migration, the active participation of the process related to the Africa Free Movement Protocol, the dialogue with different governments in Africa in the drafting of some migration policies such as for example Mali, Niger, and Senegal.

Conclusion

The GFMD has been instrumental in the building of social movements on migration in Africa and has been an opportunity to promote migrants’ rights approach all over the continent. The relationship with different right holders, constituencies and other regions in the world has been highly consolidated since then and the work continues.