“Being a migrant worker or a refugee is not our dream. But there is no other choice to survive and improve our well-being and that of our families.”

December 18 has been International Migrants Day since it was established by the ILO in 2000. Of course, behind every day of commemoration, there are stories of men and women, and therefore good reasons to celebrate it every year.

We, the International Young Christian Workers (IYCW), support the commemoration of the International Migrants Day 2023. Youth migration and refugees are among our movement’s priority actions.

This November 25, the International YCW is joining in the celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

This day, dedicated to raising awareness and eradicating gender-based violence, encourages us to reflect on the persistent reality faced by women, teenage girls and young girls around the world.

We recognize that violence against women knows no borders, affecting all ages, ethnic groups, social classes and economic status. It is an assault on fundamental human rights and a major obstacle to the achievement of equality between men and women.

The IYCW was invited to the 42nd Session of the General Conference of UNESCO held at the organization's headquarters in Paris, France, from November 7 to 22, 2023. As an official partner of UNESCO, the IYCW was invited to share its views on the issues currently on UNESCO's agenda.

Basma Louis, the president of the IYCW, stressed the importance of raising awareness among young people by providing training spaces to compensate for the failure of public institutions, and so that young people do not consider traditional and social media as an alternative for developing their analysis of the current situation in the world.