Migration journeys are often fraught with safety challenges and risks. Individuals fleeing conflict zones, persecution, or environmental disasters often have no choice but to embark on perilous journeys to seek refuge. Safety, in this context, becomes a matter of life and death.

Whether crossing treacherous seas, navigating harsh deserts, or traversing densely forested areas, migrants are often exposed to physical dangers and exploitation by human traffickers. Many lives have been lost or irrevocably harmed during these journeys. The tragic images of families separated at borders or loved ones lost at sea serve as a stark reminder of the safety challenges migrants face when on the move.

In an effort to control immigration, some countries have implemented strict border controls and policies that can put migrants at even further risk. And to make matters worse, conditions at refugee camps often present safety challenges of their own. Overcrowding, lack of access to healthcare, natural disasters, and inadequate sanitation can pose serious threats to the well-being of those seeking refuge.

Customary international law, as well as international, regional, and state governing bodies provide legal frameworks and safeguards for migrant protection and safety, but those are rarely enforced or are disparately applied depending upon migrants’ backgrounds.

Ensuring the safety of migrants is a key focus of MIRR Alliance—and we recognize that it requires international cooperation. Collaborative efforts between countries, organizations, and civil society are necessary to create safer migration pathways and ensure that the human rights of migrants are upheld.