Migration and refugee issues take an important place on Geneva agendas. Geneva is a headquarters of UNHCHR and IOM, and a venue for the Global Forum on Migration and Development meetings. In addition, several other Geneva based organizations also deal with these issues:  Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights  (OHCHR), World Health Organization (WHO) or International Labour Organization (ILO), which are also  part of the so-called Global Migration Group (GMG);  inter-agency group bringing together heads of seventeen international organizations, agencies and programs within the UN to encourage the adoption of more coherent, comprehensive and better coordinated approaches to the issue of international migration.

To address its priorities in the field of asylum and migration, the Czech Republic cooperates with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) – the intergovernmental organization with international legal personality which focuses on a wide range of migration management activities at a global level. In July 2016, an agreement making the International Organization for Migration a related organization of the UN was approved. The Czech Republic has been a member of the organization since 1995. Through a branch in Prague, dozens of projects focusing on inter alia, integration of foreigners, assisted voluntary returns, prevention and combating of trafficking in human beings, and other migration issues, as well as projects with migration-related development aspects, have been carried out. The Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic is responsible for the issue of international migration and international protection in the Czech Republic.

When providing help for internally displaced persons and refugees, the Czech Republic cooperates with The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the international organization in the UN system which also deals with the issue of asylum seekers and stateless persons. It supports promoting international agreements dealing with refugees and it provides them with food and medical assistance. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 14 December 1950 and is governed by the United Nations General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC). The Czech Republic, in cooperation with UNHCR, is also engaged in resettlement programs of the most vulnerable refugees. The Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, carries the responsibility for refugees and internally displaced persons.

Geneva also hosts The Global Forum on Migration and development (GFMD). It is a voluntary, informal, and non-binding process which promotes understanding and inter-linkages between migration and development. The Forum is led by the so-called Steering Group which includes 30 states equally representing all regions of the world. The Steering Group elects its chairman from the members of the Group. Since 2016, The Czech Republic has been a part of the group of Friends of the Forum, a consultative body of the platform.

The protection of the rights of refugees and migrants is monitored by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and also the subject of the Human Rights Council (HRC) negotiations and its mechanisms. For example, the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants or a Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons are appointed by the HRC. The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families is one of nine fundamental international human rights conventions but currently none of the member states of the EU have ratified it yet.

 The Czech Republic has a long-term cooperation with the main transit countries and countries of origin of immigration to the Czech Republic and the European Union in general, especially with the countries which are geographically closer. At the EU level, the Czech Republic participates in the development and implementation of the tools of the Global Approach to Migration and Mobility which represents the conceptual framework of the EU external migration and asylum policy. The Czech Republic also contributes to EU Regional Development and Protection Programmes (RDPP). The migration priority of the country (in line with the Czech Government´s Migration Policy Principles) is to take effective measures to promote legal migration, minimize illegal migration, and provide international protection for those who really need it. This is also linked to the effort to ensure effective border protection within the Schengen area. The Czech Republic is working closely with international organizations such as UNHCR, IOM and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

In recent years, the Czech Republic has provided significant financial support to Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and resources to support EU migratory systems severely constrained by the current migration situation and humanitarian aid for internally displaced persons and Syrian refugees in Iraq. In 2017, the Czech Republic provided humanitarian contributions to support UNHCR´s response in Iraq in light of the Mosul displacement (5 million Czech crowns – based in MFA), UNHCR Expanded Response in Libya (5 million Czech crowns – based in MFA), infrastructure support and non food item in the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan (40 million Czech crowns – based in MOIA), Building Resilience Plan and Solutions for Afghan refugees in South-West Asia -  Iran (2,5 million Czech crowns – based in MFA) and Pakistan (2,5 million Czech crowns – based in MFA), and contributions in support of secondary health care in Lebanon (5 million Czech crowns – based in MFA). The total amount of humanitarian assistance provided to UNHCR in 2017 reached 60 million Czech crowns.In addition to the mandatory membership contribution to the administrative part of the budget of IOM for 2017, Czech Republic granted as well the voluntary contribution of 5 million Czech crowns for the implementation of IOM Yemen appeal and the same amount of money for the implementation of IOM Appeal Rohingya Refugee Crises in Bangladesh.

Find more information about migration issues on the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.