I am the Sr. Operations Assistant for the Latin American
Programs of the Washington Office of the International
Organization for Migration (IOM). IOM is an idependent,
non-political, international organization of 59 member states
(including the US), and 41 observer states, worldwide. It was
created in 1951 with the purpose of promoting orderly
international migration in the interest of immigration and
emmigration countries alike, and to assist persons in need of
migration services. Under its various programs, which include
both humanitarian and development-oriented activities, IOM has
facilitated the movement of almost 6 million persons worldwide.
Although IOM is best known for its refugee and hummanitarian
work (like it's original work in the 1950's and 60's in the
resettlement of refugees fleeing political developments in
eastern Europe, the resettlement of Chileans fleeing the military
coup, the repatriation of standed migrants fleeing Iraq and
Kuwait during the Gulf War, demobilization of troops and return
of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mozambique
and Haiti, refugee and IDP work in Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia,
and Chechnya), the organization has also has also looked at
migration and development issues
Since 1964 it has worked on "Migration for Development"
programs. These programs were established to help with the
transfer of technology through the movement of qualified migrants
to promote the economic and social advancement of developing
countries in Latin America. The programs have also been applied
to other regions like Africa.
The majority of my work at IOM has centered on Migration for
Development, specifically a "Return of Talent" program that
addressed the human resources needs of development by assisting
Latin American professionals return to their countries with job
placement. Currently the program is unfunded, and therefore,
assistance is extremely limited. I have also assisted on
humanitarian projects such as the Haitian situation at Guantanamo
and the Cuban camps in Panama.
I am currently interested in the issue of women migrants
(forced and otherwise). IOM has established a project to service
the legal, physical and phycological health, and educational and
training needs of migrant women in Buenos Aires. The project will
also address the need to confront general misconceptions about
migrants among the general population. IOM has also begun
various projects that respond to the trafficking in women issue,
both in Asia and Eastern Europe.
On my personal time, I am also working on women, migration,
and violence issues. Through my work as Co-chair of the Women in
Development workgroup of the Society for International
Development I am organizing an event in October, Domestic
Violence Awarness month, on "Women, Violence, and Asylum." We
hope to have as many different groups represented at the event as
possible. We will look at the INS guidelines for women and
violence considerations in asylum cases, as well as the new INS
regulations that allow battered women to self -petition for
legalization of their status.
I am a Latin Americanist by training from the University of
Texas, Austin (ILAS) and have focused since graduation on
Migration issues.
Laura Park
International Organization for Migration
1750 K St., NW Suite 1110
Washington, DC 20006