From May 12 to 16th of 2014, the 7th Global Forum on Migration and Development was hosted in Stockholm, Sweden, with the theme “Unlocking the potential of migration for inclusive development.” The meeting, which gathered some 900 delegates from over 140 countries and 30 international organizations around the globe, began with two days of civil society panels, followed by a common space day between civil society organizations and governments and concluded with two days of government panels.

The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is a recent initiative of the United Nations Member States to address the interconnectedness between migration and development in practical and action-oriented ways. It is an informal, non-binding, voluntary government-led process that marks the culmination of more than a decade of international dialogue on the growing importance of the links between migration and development.

In the opening session of the Global Forum, the Migration and Development Civil Society Network (MADE Network) was launched. The MADE Network is an initiative to strengthen collaboration between civil society organizations worldwide, including development and human rights organizations, migrant, diaspora and labour organizations, academic institutions, as well as private sector organizations. MADE will connect and strengthen civil society’s capacity to work with governments and their advocacy for better policies and practices globally. With the support of Scalabrini Foundation of Chile, Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN) is proud to announce that it is partnering with MADE Network.

Working with other networks and entities linked to the search for solutions for migrants and their families is of the highest importance to SIMN. For decades now, SIMN has highly regarded as a respected voice for migrants, due to their continued work on behalf of the migrant rights and pertaining legislation.