Left-behind: Gender in the Global Migration and Development Forum

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Riohacha, September 2025

Women and gender-diverse individuals routinely face distinct obstacles in their migration journeys, including limited access to safe migration pathways, unequal recognition of skills, and disparities in social protection and labour rights. While global migration governance spaces, including the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), have acknowledged the importance of gender-responsive approaches, the integration of gender across policies, participation structures, and implementation frameworks remains inconsistent, uneven, and incomplete. More specifically, the focus on women in migration governance and their role in development is understated.

For the 15th GFMD process, Colombia has three overarching themes and six thematic priorities, which include a focus on “strength in movement: the impact of women on global migration in development.” In the past, discussions on gender-sensitive issues tended to be concentrated in side events or dedicated thematic sessions, with limited influence over the forum’s core agenda. Drawing on comparative experiences from Africa and the Americas, this analysis identifies shared challenges and region-specific factors that influence the positioning of gender within GFMD deliberations.

Read our POLICY BRIEF HERE