Julie Lelek
Advisor for Economic and Social Affairs
New York, New York
October 18, 2021
AS DELIVERED
The United States appreciates the work of the Special Rapporteur on assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the human rights of migrants. There are over 281 million migrants worldwide, and including them in national health campaigns and recovery plans is key in reducing the spread of the virus, helping the world economy recovery, and supporting safe, orderly, and dignified migration.
We commend countries that have taken steps to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic, included migrants in COVID-19 related response and recovery efforts, and continued to respect the human rights of migrants throughout the pandemic. However, migrants still face discrimination and xenophobia due to negative rhetoric portraying migrants as threats. More needs to be done to counter this rhetoric.
The United States is committed to ensuring that migrants, regardless of status and no matter their country of origin, are treated humanely and with dignity. We are engaged in actions worldwide consistent with the vision of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, including its recognition of incorporating migrants into health care planning.
Question: How can states best incorporate migrants into post-pandemic recovery plans?
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