Migrants are rights holders, their human rights should be protected regardless of their contributions to society. This is the central message of report from the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants’ to Human Rights Council. The report emphasizes the need to transform harmful narratives about migration. These narratives draw on and contribute to dehumanization of migrants and feed human rights violations and abuses. Always a critical issue, the Special Rapporteur notes that disinformation often peaks before national elections. Therefore, greater attention is needed in a year with so many elections around the world. QUNO’s Human Rights and Refugees programme delivered a statement responding to the report.

This picked up on issues aligned with QUNO’s priorities. We noted how discrimination and racism continues to feed and is fed by inhumane border control. We welcomed the Special Rapporteur’s support for the call for the Council to establish an investigative mechanism on human rights violations at international borders. We also called on all States and UN entities to implement the recommendation made by the Special Rapporteur to meaningfully engage migrants in policy and planning processes. Critical action and accountability is needed to put an end to continuing dehumanization of migrants, including by not making human rights protection contingent on perceived benefits to economy or society.