PAST AND UPCOMING EVENTS

 

 

Following a Resolution on the health of migrants by the World Health Assembly in January 2008, WHO, IOM and the Ministry of Health of Spain organized a consultation on Migrant Health in Madrid on 3-5 March 2010. The 2 year old Resolution asks Member States for migrant sensitive health policies and practices and requests WHO to promote migrant health, in collaboration with other relevant organizations; to encourage interregional and international cooperation and the exchange of information and dialogue among its Member States, with particular attention to strengthening health system, etc. HUMA network was invited in this Global consultation, during which sensitive issues were clearly raised, such as undocumented migrants’ right to access health care, detention, entry restriction measures, return of seriously ill migrants. The same openness was observed during the discussions in the plenary sessions and breakout groups. A certain degree of consensus could be reached on the need to be consistent with public health principles and thus protect the right to health of all human beings, irrespective of their administrative status.

 

This Conference was organized on 9 March 2010 by the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) together with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) and EUROCITIES. The event focused on the status of undocumented migrants in the EU and aimed at structuring a pluralistic dialogue on their fundamental rights in light of the implementation of the Stockholm Programme by the Spanish Presidency and the adoption of the implementation plans by the Commission. The discussions taking place at the conference were structured around the specific themes (health, education, housing, fair working conditions) addressed in the final report and set of policy recommendations conducted by the CEPS on the status of undocumented migrants in Europe and their access to rights. HUMA participated in this conference, highlighting the main findings of European Observatory on access to health care’s 2nd report and of HUMA network’s report.

 

This conference, in which HUMA will participate, will be held in Madrid on 23 April 2010 and hosted by PICUM. It will focus on the policies and practices that tend to push female migrants into the margins and limit their autonomy, and will enable civil society actors from across Europe to share experiences and strategies for empowerment.

 

The challenge to give minors unrestricted access to public health care and to free basic compulsory education irrespective of their origin and residency status still has to be met by many members of the European Union. Consequently, a move is needed to adapt and modify national legislations in order to guarantee public and compulsory coverage of the aforementioned basic needs amongst foreign minors. This is a matter of general public interest but also of human rights obligations and relates to the fight against child poverty and the transmission of intergenerational poverty. This Conference will take place on 27 April, 2010, in Madrid and is part of the 2010 activities calendar in Spain during the European year for combating poverty and social exclusion.

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