ICN passes emergency resolution demanding humane treatment of migrants
The ICN’s Council of National Nursing Association Representatives has passed an emergency resolution demanding human treatment of migrants, in the light of increasing patterns of migration, including among nurses.
The resolution, which was proposed by the Norwegian Nurses Organisation, highlights the reasons for the increase in migration and the fact that some countries are not providing humane treatment and protection for people who are often fleeing desperate situations.
ICN believes that migration is a growing, multi-country issue that global politics have failed to address.
The emergency resolution condemns the violation of migrants’ human rights, including their right to health, and restates its belief that humanitarian treatment of migrants requires the protection of a vast array of rights and opposition to all forms of discrimination and oppression.
ICN has a policy on the Health of Migrants, Refugees and Displaced Persons, and encourages other global health professions organisations to voice their support for protecting health.
ICN urges the World Health Organization to encourages stakeholders to act within its renewed Global Action Plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants and accelerate the uptake of the Rabat Declaration of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The full text of the resolution is below.
International Council of Nurses Emergency Resolution
Title: Humane treatment of migrants
Whereas the issue of migration has become more important in recent months due to increasing patterns of migration of all people as well as healthcare workers and in particular, nurses, and
Whereas the human rights concerns related to migrants are rising as knowing conditions of hunger, lack of housing, conflict, war, and other forms of discrimination are driving individuals to leave their home countries in search of a better life, and
Whereas, some countries are not providing a welcoming and protective environment to migrants/refugees leading to serious humanitarian concerns, and
Whereas the newly revealed information of withholding food in a known migrant situation makes this an urgent matter, therefore, and Whereas, migration is a growing multi-country issue that global politics have failed to address, and
Whereas, the WHO Global Action Plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants was just renewed to 2030 and the Rabat Declaration was adopted June 13, 2023, during the high-level segment of the Third Global Consultation on the Health of Refugees and Migrants and calls for the protection of “refugees, stateless persons, asylum-seekers and other forcibly displaced persons, by addressing their basic human rights as well as physical and mental healthcare health needs,”
Be it Resolved that the International Council of Nurses (ICN) condemns the violation of human rights and urges protection of these and other rights of individuals, including health as a human right, and
Be it Further Resolved that ICN reiterates its belief that humanitarian treatment of migrants requires protecting a vast array of people’s rights and opposing all forms of discrimination and oppression, and
Be it Further Resolved that ICN reaffirms its policy on the Health of Migrants, Refugees, and Displaced Persons, and encourages other global health professions organizations to voice their support for protecting health, and
Be it Further Resolved that ICN advises WHO to immediately encourage stakeholders to take actions consistent with the recently renewed Global Action Plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants, and accelerate uptake of the Rabat Declaration
Resources for Rabat Declaration
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ICN passes emergency resolution demanding humane treatment of migrants
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