New Delhi - The Council of the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) has elected Christine Nathan from India as the Commission’s New President. She is the first ICMC President from Asia. She belongs to the Archdiocese of Bombay and was nominated to the ICMC Council by the CCBI Migrant Commission.

The ICMC Council has its members from the National Episcopal Conferences. The 58 members representing the Episcopal Conferences all over the world elected Christine on June 1, 2022, at its meeting held in Rome.

The commission is an international non-governmental organization working in the areas of migration and refugee assistance and advocacy. It was founded in 1951, in the wake of the massive human displacement caused by the Second World War. It has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The commission’s mission is to protect and serve uprooted people, including refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced people, victims of human trafficking, and migrants — regardless of faith, race, ethnicity or nationality.

Nathan, is the first Asian to hold the presidential post. She is a senior education specialist in Adult and Workers Education with experience of more than 40 years. Nathan has worked with the International Labour Organisation (ILO – UN) with governments, employers and workers.

As a strong and devout Catholic she states her vision as ‘Child labour to be eradicated, Laws and Legislations for Migrant Workers, strengthen labour inspection on trafficking of children of migrant workers, Poverty Eradicated, Decent Work for Workers and the Families, Gender Equality and Equity’. She believes following this is following the path of Jesus who liberated the people from every form of exploitation.

As the newly elected President Christine addressed the Council saying that her association with ICMC began in 2016 when she was asked to attend a meeting in New Delhi to understand the work done by a few NGOs on different issues, including migrants and refugees as well.

As the President, she has assured her full support and agreed to work with the Secretary-General and his team to enhance the work of the ICMC. A lot of work has already been done so far despite several challenges faced by Migrants and Refugees.

She upheld the work being carried out by ICMC as multifold – in the area of refugees, the support and protection provided to children of refugees, the fight against harassment and discrimination against refugees and migrant workers, to stand for the right of migrant workers and their families, work towards permanency of employment and residency of migrant workers, the application of international norms and standards that apply to refugees and migrant workers.
-Newskarnataka/MattersIndia