How ICMC Developed
By the early 1970s, the migration phenomenon had become more complex and international. People were forced to migrate from an increasing number of countries because of war and poverty.
The end of the war in Vietnam, the attempted genocide in Cambodia and violent events elsewhere caused a forced migration that had not been witnessed for a generation. ICMC continued to assist European refugees resettle in new countries. It also began resettlement work with the new refugee groups from South and Southeast Asia, the Near East, Africa and Latin America.
In recent years, ICMC has expanded its work and is providing rehabilitative services for victims of torture. Preventive and rehabilitative work for trafficked victims and survivors of gender based violence is a major area of ICMC's current work and expertise. Helping with the new legislation on counter trafficking in Indonesia has been a very successful ICMC endeavour. Another area of expertise ICMC has is in emergency mental health and psychosocial services; ICMC and has been very much involved as a Task Force Member to formulate guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies.
On Friday July 11, 2008, ICMC has been officially granted new public juridical status by the Holy See, in better accordance with its present identity and activities. This new juridical personality underlines the importance of the strengthened relationship between the Secretariat of State of the Vatican, the Episcopal Conferences and ICMC in their shared concern for the well-being of migrants.
On 11 March 2011, the Swiss chair of the Global Forum on Development and Migration officially requested the assistance of the ICMC in planning the Civil Society portion of the Forum. The ICMC accepted this position, becoming the first non-governmental organization to fill this role since the inception of the GFDM in 2006. Being an NGO, the ICMC has considerably more breadth to make the Civil Society portion more independent of the States Programme.
Read more about this topic: International Catholic Migration Commission
Famous quotes containing the word developed:
“In the twentieth century one of the most personal relationships to have developed is that of the person and the state.... It’s become a fact of life that governments have become very intimate with people, most always to their detriment.”
—E.L. (Edgar Lawrence)