27 May 2025
The need to uphold the dignity, rights and agency of all migrants, especially children and youth, are the cornerstones of MYCP’s mission. As a platform comprising thousands of young migrants and youth-led organizations, we will always champion our constituency’s voices, defend the human rights of youth and young migrants, and promote evidence-based migration policies based on the principle of equality for all.
As such, following the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) recent confirmation to extend its Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) program to assist the United States Government in implementing its ‘self-deportation’ policy, MYCP has taken the decision to pause our direct programming and advocacy with IOM.
This policy raises serious concerns regarding the safety and protection of vulnerable children and young migrants in the United States, especially in contexts where threats of penalty and detention may render return effectively involuntary. ‘Selfdeportation’ is at odds with the rights-based values our constituency remains committed to. Having worked closely with IOM for many years, this is not a decision we have taken lightly and are deeply saddened by the need to make it. MYCP calls on IOM to reassess its approach, and to engage in open and constructive dialogue with migrants, youth and civil society to ensure that its policy and programming reflect its stated commitment to human rights and dignity.
As the mandated youth stakeholder network of the Global Forum on Migration & Development (GFMD), and a coordinating space for children and youth engagement in the Global Compact on Migration (GCM), we will continue to fully engage with both processes. In that regard, we will necessarily coordinate administrative matters with the GFMD Secretariat and the United Nations Network on Migration (UNNM), both housed within IOM, to fulfil our mandate and ensure youth voices remain heard in these important intergovernmental spaces.
MYCP reaffirms our steadfast commitment to working with partners across governments, civil society, the private sector and UN system to achieve our shared objectives in promoting migrants’ rights around the world, creating spaces for meaningful youth engagement in migration policymaking and youth-sensitive programming.
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For further contact on this statement, please email migrationgfp@unmgcy.org
The Migration Youth & Children Platform (MYCP) is the self-organized platform by and for youth to impact the highest levels of international migration policymaking. Our mission is to bridge the gap between children, youth, and intergovernmental processes focusing on migration issues in order to ensure their right to meaningful participation is realised.
Download the PDF statement here: MYCP Statement, 27 May 2025
