Speech | Oral intervention delivered on behalf of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI)  | United Nations New York | 15 March 2018

We wish to thank the facilitators for the excellent job of steering the process particularly focusing discussions on the rights-based approach.

We also wish to reiterate the willingness and preparedness of our members, national human rights institutions around the world, to ensure that the outcomes of the Global Compact for Migration will result in meaningful change for migrants especially those most vulnerable and in this regard we believe that those that fall out of status are more likely to be exposed to human rights violations.  We believe that the protection of such migrants can only be assured if underpinned by the principles of equality and non-discrimination and we are happy to note that these principles are the core of the proposed draft.  While recognizing sovereignty of states, as bodies that monitor state compliance with international instruments, we are happy to note the roles assigned to NHRIs in the draft and will apply our broad mandates of promotion and protection to monitor the follow up and review of state commitments and will endeavor to mainstream the plight of migrants into all the other UN mechanisms that we are engaged as relevant and appropriate.

Gwendolyn Pimentel Ll. Pimentel-Gana

Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines