Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, December 15, 2020 – On December 18, the world marks International Migrants Day. To observe this important day, the United States government will launch an online social media campaign to raise awareness about migrants’ rights in Kazakhstan through its Agency for International Development (USAID) Safe Migration in Central Asia activity, implemented by Winrock International.

Migration is a global process based on the human desire for a dignified, safe, and peaceful life. The decision to leave one’s home country is often a last resort, and it could be the beginning of a dangerous path. This year, many migrants in Central Asia have faced hardships due to border closures during the COVID -19 pandemic. They found themselves in vulnerable positions, with no access to work, food, health care, or social services.

To raise awareness about migrants’ rights and shine a light on the difficulties they face, Safe Migration in Central Asia will launch an online campaign to remind the people of Kazakhstan to treat migrants as community members, not through the prism of stereotypes, but through the principle of human rights. The communication campaign will run from December 18 to 25 including various events with influential leaders leveraging social media networks. Individuals can join the campaign by sharing their stories with the hashtags #WeEqual and #WeAllMigrants and in Russian #МыPавны #MыMигранты.

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The Safe Migration in Central Asia activity is implemented in five Central Asian countries. It is a five-year activity that uses evidence-based practices and cross-border connections to strengthen the mutual accountability and effectiveness of governments, NGOs, and the private sector to prevent trafficking-in-persons, protect survivors, and promote safe migration. The activity works in close cooperation with local governments, civil society, and private sector to improve migration practices and prevent exploitation. More information is available on USAID Central Asia’s website: https://www.usaid.gov/central-asia-regional and USAID Central Asia’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USAIDCentralAsia/. 

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