PGA 2013 kicks off in New York

The weeklong PGA which officially kicked off on 30 September 2013 is an independent process led by civil society and social movements parallel to the 2013 UN High Level Dialogue on Migration & Development (HLD).

Comprised of workshops, cultural events, site visits to migrant communities, film showings, and plenary sessions, the PGA provides a space for critical analysis, in-depth discussions, and movement-building focused on the theme “People, Power, Communities: Building Bridges, for Migrant, Labour and Human Rights.” A massive labour-community march and rally is also slated on Wednesday 2 October 2013 across the Brooklyn Bridge.  

The Public Services International (PSI) is a member of the International Coordinating Committee which organized the PGA. PSI is also co-organizing a number of workshops during the PGA including one on access to and portability of social protection for migrant workers.   

Represented by its 16-strong delegation from the Philippines, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Sweden, USA, Finland, Georgia and Guyana, PSI delegates will seek to highlight the need for decent work for all migrant workers and call attention to the role of public services in promoting development and rights-based migration policies. A delegation briefing was held prior to the PGA opening ceremony in order to prepare and strategize for the various activities happening around the PGA and UN HLD the first week of October.