Former White House adviser Amy Pope was elected to head the U.N. migration agency, The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Pope would become the first woman to lead it
What is The International Organization for Migration?
- IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.
- It was established in 1951
- IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.
- IOM is part of the United Nations system, as a related organization.
- It has headquarters at Grand-Saconnex Switzerland
- India is a member of IOM.
History Of The International Organization for Migration
- IOM was first known as the Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe (PICMME)
- It was born in 1951 out of the chaos and displacement of Western Europe following the Second World War.
- It was granted Permanent Observer status to UN General Assembly in 1992. It is part of the UN now.
Areas Of The International Organization for Migration
IOM works in four broad areas of migration management
Structure of The International Organization for Migration
- The IOM has a Council, an Executive Committee and a Secretariat.
- The Council consists of representatives of all member-states and observer-states and meets annually. It has the powers to decide on matters of policy, programmes and finance.
- The nine-member Executive Committee meets twice a year and is elected annually.
- It is responsible for preparing the work of the Council and making recommendations on the basis of reports by sub-committees on budget and finance, and coordination of transport.
- The Secretariat is headed by a Director-General.
Functions of The International Organization for Migration
- IOM supports migrants across the world, developing effective responses to the shifting dynamics of migration and, as such, is a key source of advice on migration policy and practice.
- The organization works in emergency situations, developing the resilience of all people on the move, and particularly those in situations of vulnerability, as well as building capacity within governments to manage all forms and impacts of mobility.
- The Organization is guided by the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including upholding human rights for all. Respect for the rights, dignity and well-being of migrants remains paramount.
- IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration to promote international cooperation on migration issues
- The IOM Constitution recognizes the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement
Head Of The International Organization for Migration
- Pope, who served as Deputy Director General for Management and Reform at IOM, took leave to campaign against her boss António Vitorino, who has been in the position since 2018.
- Pope said she was eager for IOM to use data to analyse why people were moving and to better understand where people might be forced to move.
- More than 100 million people are forcibly displaced around the world and IOM seeks to ensure humane and orderly migration and intervenes where needed.
- Prior to joining IOM, Ms. Pope served as the Senior Advisor on Migration to President Biden in 2021, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor from 2015-2017, and as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on Transborder Security from 2013-2015.
- At the White House, she developed and implemented comprehensive strategies to manage migration surges, address trafficking in persons, respond to the Zika and Ebola outbreaks, and prepare communities to react to climate crises.
- Since then, she has continued to promote dialogue on global migration challenges through her academic writing and work with Chatham House.
- She has also occupied positions at the US Department of Justice and US Senate and was a Partner in the London-based law firm Schillings.
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