“I want to congratulate all of us today, civil society representatives, government officials, local authorities, business leaders — all of us sitting together. I am hopeful, I believe that this meeting can be the start of a process to make the Global Compact for Migration work,” said civil society Co-Chair José Dolores Suazo Mejía, Don Lolo, at the closing ceremony of the 12th Global Forum on Migration and Development Summit in Quito.

For civil society leaders is not always easy to enter into conversation with governments, Don Lolo said. He emphasized that the importance of this Forum is precisely the possibility to sit at the same table with government representatives — as equals.

He also reminded GFMD participants that States adopted the Global Compact for Migration out of their own free will. That is why, he said, it is important to engage with them to make the Compact a reality on the ground.

“We had very good discussions these days. We talked about issues that worry us very much: how to change the narratives on migration, how to avoid re-victimization of migrants, how not to criminalize migrants and those who assist them. These are all topics that are very dear to us, and the time is always short, we could talk about these issues for weeks.”

We need to remember, Don Lolo urged, that migrants contribute to their societies, both in the countries of origin and in the countries of destination. To make sure that their rights are respected throughout the migration journey, civil society organizations need to make partnerships with all actors involved, local and national governments, businesses, and international organizations. 

Bringing the voice of civil society representatives present in the room and around the world, he concluded his intervention with a strong plea: “We want no more separated families, no more deaths in migration, no more violations of human rights!”