24 March 2017 - The United Nations (UN) campaign TOGETHER ( Juntos , in Spanish) was officially launched in Mexico City in recent days with UNODC in the country adding its efforts through its #DeadlyBusiness thematic campaign. With this joint action, the UN calls to prevent and combat migrant smuggling, together with governments, NGOs, other international organizations and the general public, by disseminating information among potential migrants on the risks of recruiting smugglers.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by the end of 2015 over 65 million people worldwide were displaced from their homes by conflict and persecution. People leave their homes in search of a better life and many times recruit the services of smugglers, risking their life. Migrants and refugees are also often victims of violence, trafficking, intolerance and rejection.
The TOGETHER campaign, in this sense, aims to respond to the xenophobia and misinformation related to their plight. It is a global initiative that promotes respect, safety and dignity for migrants and refugees, and supports diversity, non-discrimination and acceptance.
Together, thus, the international community can demonstrate how refugees and migrants contribute to economic growth: they join the labor market and help reduce the impact of population aging. For example, in 2015 the economic contribution of migrant populations reached 10 per cent of the world's Gross Domestic Product. These and other arguments contribute to tackle prejudice and xenophobia.
After Mexico, the campaign will soon be launched in Australia, Lebanon, South Africa and the European Union. In Mexico, campaign materials will be displayed at 13 subway stations in Mexico City - which has the second largest metro system in North America - as well as shared through social media and partner websites.