Archbishop Jurkovič Urges International Agencies to Promote Migrants’ Health in Their Agenda

Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, acknowledged the urgency of promoting migrants’ health at the ongoing 140th meeting of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Archbishop called on the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the WHO and other international agencies to advocate for greater consideration to migrants’ health-related needs in drafting “practical, accountable, and sustainable plans” within the Compacts on Refugees and on Migrants, to be soon negotiated following up on the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants held in September 2016.

Migrants should particularly be reassured of their right to enjoy the “highest attainable standard of physical and mental health” in host countries, given their likely vulnerability to physical and emotional disorders.

• Read the statement.