Privacy Policy

Welcome to www.gfmdcivilsociety.org (the “Website”), operated by the GFMD Civil Society Mechanism (GFMD CSM), hosted by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) (“we”, “us”, or “our”).

We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is handled in a safe and responsible manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal data, and outlines your rights in relation to that data.

1. Who We Are

GFMD Civil Society Mechanism (GFMD CSM). Hosted by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)

Address:

1, rue de Varembé

P.O. Box 96, 1211 Geneva 20

Switzerland

Phone: +41 22 919 10 20

Email: gfmdcivilsociety@icmc.net

For the purposes of data protection laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), ICMC is the data controller for personal data collected through this Website.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

Information you provide voluntarily, such as:
Your name, email address, and contact details are collected when you subscribe to newsletters, register for events, or contact us.
Information you include in communications sent to us.
Information collected automatically, such as:
IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and browsing activity on our Website (through cookies or analytics tools).
Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your browsing experience. (See Section 4 below.)

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data only for legitimate purposes, including:

To respond to your inquiries or requests.
To manage event registrations, newsletters, and communications.
To improve our Website, services, and outreach activities.
To comply with legal obligations or safeguard our rights.

We will process your data only when we have a lawful basis to do so, such as your consent, our legitimate interests, or legal obligations.

4. Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve user experience and analyse traffic on our Website.

You can manage or disable non-essential cookies at any time via your browser settings. For more information, please see our separate Cookie Policy: https://gfmdcivilsociety.org/cookie-policy/

5. How We Share Your Data

We do not sell or trade your personal data.

We may share your data only with:

Service providers that help us operate this Website or deliver communications (e.g., web hosting, analytics, email management), under confidentiality agreements.
ICMC offices and trusted partners are involved in GFMD-related activities only when necessary and appropriate.
Authorities or regulators, when required by law or to protect our rights.

All such recipients are required to handle your personal data securely and in compliance with applicable data-protection laws.

6. International Data Transfers

As ICMC operates internationally, your personal data may be transferred and processed outside your country of residence, including to countries that may not have the same level of data protection.

When such transfers occur, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place (for example, EU Standard Contractual Clauses) to protect your personal data in compliance with GDPR and Swiss data-protection standards.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described above or as required by applicable law.

When data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights concerning your personal data:

Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Rectification: Correct inaccuracies or update incomplete data.
Erasure: Request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”).
Restriction: Request limits on processing in certain cases.
Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Portability: Request a machine-readable copy of your data.
Withdrawal of consent: If processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at gfmdcivilsociety@icmc.net. We may request proof of identity before responding to your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority or the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) in Switzerland.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or destruction.

However, while we strive to protect your information, no transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be fully secure.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Website and activities are not directed toward children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under that age. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us, and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements.

The latest version will always be posted on this page, with the “Last updated” date revised accordingly.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

GFMD Civil Society Mechanism (GFMD CSM)

Hosted by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)