CENTRO DE DIREITOS HUMANOS E CIDADANIA DO IMIGRANTE

Founded in 2009, the Center for Human Rights and Citizenship of the Immigrant (CDHIC) is a civil society organization that works with social projects and actions that aim advocacy, formation, training, defense and promotion of social-economic, political, cultural and environmental rights of immigrants and refugees, as well as in the construction of public migration policies based on the guarantee of human rights and citizenship in local, regional, national and international levels. Based in Sao Paulo, the CDHIC also works with the grassroots communities offering legal and social assistance on a project called "Migrant Space" (pt. Espaco Migrante), in partnership with the Central Co... read more Founded in 2009, the Center for Human Rights and Citizenship of the Immigrant (CDHIC) is a civil society organization that works with social projects and actions that aim advocacy, formation, training, defense and promotion of social-economic, political, cultural and environmental rights of immigrants and refugees, as well as in the construction of public migration policies based on the guarantee of human rights and citizenship in local, regional, national and international levels. Based in Sao Paulo, the CDHIC also works with the grassroots communities offering legal and social assistance on a project called "Migrant Space" (pt. Espaco Migrante), in partnership with the Central Confederation of Workers - CUT (pt. Central Unica dos Trabalhadores) and the Italian General Confederation of Labor - INCA CGIL. In addition, we conduct political and entrepreneurship training courses for migrant leaderships, in order to multiply actions and empowering immigrants and refugees, especially women leaders, as well as seminars and mobilization meetings on the Migration Law and access to public services. As result of our actions in advocacy we can mention the creation of the Municipal Coordination of Policy for Migrants of Sao Paulo (pt. Coordenacao de Politicas para Migrantes da Cidade de Sao Paulo), in 2013, and the adoption of the municipal law n 16.478/2016 in Sao Paulo, which establishes the Municipal Migration Policy, listing the local strategies for welcoming and protecting the immigrant and refugee population. The Mayor Fernando Haddad signer the bill on July 7, 2016 during the opening of the 7th World Social Forum on Migration, which was organized by the CDHIC, with the participation of about 3.600 people from 53 countries. At the international level, the CDHIC is the General Secretariat of the South American Network "Espacio Sin Frontera - ESF" (en. Space without Borders), formed by civil society organizations with representations in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Uruguay. The network aims the development and implementation of public policies at the regional level to protect immigrants and refugees, especially with decision-making bodies such as the Common Market of the South (pt. MERCOSUL), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Andean Community of Nations (sp. CAN) and the Union of South American Nations (USAN). In addition, the ESF is a permanent member of the International Committee of the World Social Forum on Migration.