“The fundamental dignity of every person is not acquired, does not need to be earned, and does not require proof.”
The Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN) highlights the significance of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas as a key framework for renewing the global and regional migration agenda in a context marked by profound social, technological, and political transformations.
The encyclical places migration at the center of contemporary discernment, proposing an understanding that recognizes migration not as a problem, but as a “sign of the times” and a decisive space for building a more just and fraternal humanity.
A New Approach: From Managing Migration to Centering the Human Person
SIMN emphasizes that Pope Leo XIV’s vision fully converges with its institutional mission of promoting the dignity and rights of people on the move.
In particular, the encyclical reaffirms human dignity as the absolute foundation of all public policy; the need to regard migrants as rights holders and historical actors; and the recognition of both the right to migrate and the right not to migrate, addressing the structural causes of displacement.
“Social justice… implies… protecting the right… of those who are forced to leave… and also promoting the right to remain in one’s homeland… When these rights are respected, migration can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples.” (Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas)
This perspective aligns with SIMN’s vision, which understands migration as a structural reality linked to inequality, violence, and exclusion, rather than as a temporary phenomenon.
Advocacy for Global Migration Governance
At the international level, SIMN reaffirms its commitment to strengthening migration governance based on shared responsibility among States, multilateral organizations, and civil society.
The encyclical reinforces this orientation by advocating for strengthened multilateralism, the construction of an ethical system of global governance, and the universal protection of migrants’ rights.
SIMN actively participates in these processes through dialogue with the United Nations system and other international bodies, contributing evidence from field experience and promoting human rights-based policies.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Americas
In the regional context, SIMN identifies critical challenges in migration governance, including systematic human rights violations, the lack of safe migration pathways, the criminalization of migration, and weakened cooperation among States.
In response to these challenges, the encyclical promotes lines of action that are particularly relevant, such as the development of regional protection systems, the establishment of safe humanitarian corridors, and the promotion of integration and social inclusion policies.
These orientations reinforce SIMN’s work in building networks of hospitality, providing direct assistance, and supporting integration processes in countries of origin, transit, and destination.
New Agendas: Migration, Technology, and Inequality
One of the innovative contributions of Magnifica Humanitas is its integration of migration issues with emerging challenges related to artificial intelligence, the concentration of technological power, and new forms of global inequality.
From this perspective, SIMN recognizes the need to expand its advocacy efforts toward the governance of emerging technologies, equitable access to resources and opportunities, and the prevention of new forms of exclusion.
The encyclical warns that the future of humanity will depend on our ability to place technology at the service of human dignity and the common good, avoiding dynamics of dehumanization.
SIMN: A Key Actor in Building a New Culture of Migration
With a presence in more than 30 countries and a network of over 250 organizations, SIMN positions itself as a strategic actor in promoting a culture of migration grounded in encounter, solidarity, and justice.
The network led by SIMN combines direct assistance to migrants, research and knowledge production, and public and political advocacy.
In line with the encyclical, SIMN reaffirms its commitment to contributing to a transformation of migration governance that moves beyond security-centered approaches and promotes comprehensive, coordinated, and human-centered responses.
Toward a Civilization of Encounter
SIMN invites States, international organizations, and social actors to embrace migration as an opportunity to advance toward a civilization of encounter, founded on human dignity and shared global responsibility.
In the spirit of the encyclical, migration today represents the space where humanity decides whether it will choose exclusion or fraternity.