The World Social Forum on Migration (WSFM) provides a space for democratic debate, reflection, sharing of ideas and experiences, cultural exchange, networking, and consensus-building on migration and mobility-related issues.
These issues include labor migration; refugees, asylum-seekers, and IDPs; trafficking; the economic, political, social, and gender dimensions of migration; and the linkages between migration and human rights, development, climate, and governance.
5th World Social Forum on Migration (2012)
The 5th WSFM was held for the first time in Asia, on 26-30 November 2012 in Metro Manila, Philippines. Around 3,000 delegates from all over the world were expected to join the various events.
Overall Theme:
"Mobility, Rights and Global Models: Looking for Alternatives"
Thematic Areas:
- Crisis, Critique and Consequences of Global Migration
- Migrants Rights are Human Rights
- Re-imagining migration proposing alternatives, exploring models
- Resistance, Organization, Action
History of the WSFM
Since it started in 2005, there have been four previous WSFMs organized:
1st WSFM (2005) - Porto Alegre, Brazil
Theme: "Sailing across global disorder". Discussed the notion of universal citizenship and located the causes of migration flows in the current economic paradigm.
2nd WSFM (2006) - Rivas Vaciamadrid, Spain
Theme: "Universal Citizenship and Human Rights. Another world is possible, necessary and urgent." Addressed the construction of networks and the proposal for universal citizenship.
3rd WSFM (2008) - Rivas Vaciamadrid, Spain
Theme: "Our voices, our rights, a world without walls." Contributed to the construction of a common political memorandum on migrations, development, and human rights.
4th WSFM (2010) - Quito, Ecuador
Theme: "Peoples Movement for Universal Citizenship: Collapsing the model building actors." A place where peoples on the move converged to fight for universal citizenship and the right to freedom of movement.