The past ten months have revealed to government officials and citizens the vulnerabilities of particular groups and individuals’ access to healthcare, education, food security, relief measures, and protections necessary for survival. The COVID-19 pandemic has largely not created but instead revealed the severity of inequalities groups face every-day, exacerbating the effects for not only themselves but their communities at large. My experience interning for the International Catholic Migration Commission working for the Future of Work, Labour After Laudato Sí expanded my understanding and knowledge of the diverse driving factors, consequences, and individual experiences of global migration in both a world preceding and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The work ICMC is centered around incorporates principles informed by Catholic Social Teaching of human dignity as well as applying these principles of decency to all individuals, regardless of faith, ethnicity, or citizenship. I found my work very rewarding as I was able to navigate between both the micro and macro levels of examining fluctuating patterns of labor migration as well as centering the research around individuals, seen in ICMC’s photojournalism project Driven by the Depth of Love. The research conducted by ICMC and its partners have proven of increasing importance as my experience has revealed that the collaboration of NGO, IGOs, and agencies such as the UN rely on the expertise and research in order to inform governmental decision-making on behalf of groups such as labor migrants.
A crucial part of my research was understanding both the common and diverse experiences migrant workers face, in which many countries rely on migrants’ labor within their informal economy, yet lack the privileges of legal, financial, and health security. The driving factors of internal and external migration differ, but the dependency of many nations’ economy relies on labor migration. One of the most rewarding aspects of my internship was writing advocacy notes to government officials outlining the necessary steps of providing legal frameworks, social protections, and direct responses that ensure migrant workers’ livelihoods are secure. It was an incredible experience to be able to contribute to the important work ICMC and other organizations are producing in order to effectively serve as a change agent for migrant workers at both the global and local level of influence.
Madeline Kardek is a Senior at Colgate University double majoring in Political Science and English. While studying in Geneva, Switzerland, she interned for the International Catholic Migration Commission and has continued her work virtually throughout the Covid pandemic.