A/HRC/45/30 other human rights violations. 5 The criminalization of irregular entry, stay and exit can contribute to unlawful practices, such as racial profiling and arbitrary detention, and has the potential of fuelling anti-migrant narratives.6 Many States struggle to create welcoming and inclusive communities, as racial discrimination, stigma, xenophobia, hate speech and hate crimes against migrants perpetuate exclusion and marginalization.7 The interlocking global public health, economic and social, and human rights protection crises caused by COVID-19 have further exacerbated and highlighted existing inequalities and threats to migrants’ human rights, including the exclusion of migrants from public health, economic relief and recovery responses.8 At the same time, these crises have also highlighted the crucial role that migrants play as providers of essential services and valued members of communities around the world, and the importance of building more inclusive and sustainable solutions for migrants and societies at large. III. Issues in focus A. Advancing the protection of migrants in vulnerable situations 8. In its resolution 74/148, the General Assembly expressed deep concern at the large and growing number of migrants in vulnerable situations and called upon States to take actions to avoid approaches that may aggravate their vulnerability and to more effectively protect migrants, in line with their international human rights obligations, including by coordinating international efforts to provide migrants with assistance and support. Such actions include preventing, investigating and punishing crimes committed against migrants; adopting and enforcing laws and policies to address smuggling and trafficking; preventing the victimization of migrants and providing effective legal guarantees and protections; ensuring that procedures at borders include adequate safeguards to protect human rights; facilitating family reunification and other programmes to allow the integration of migrants into host communities; adopting systems and procedures to ensure the best interests of the child are a primary consideration; implementing gender-sensitive policies and programmes, including by providing safe and regular migration channels recognizing the skills and education of migrant women; and combating all forms of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrants while promoting a more humane and evidence-based public discourse on migration. 9. Migrants often face particular challenges requiring specific human rights protection interventions, either because of the situations they have left behind, the circumstances they face in transit or at destination, personal characteristics such as their age, gender identity, disability or health status, or because of a combination of these circumstances or characteristics.9 These challenges are particularly acute for migrants in irregular situations or those with only precarious and irregular migration pathways available to them. Some of these challenges include the accessibility of migration, conditions of precarity or exploitation during transit or upon arrival, and multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, inequality and structural and societal dynamics that lead to diminished and unequal levels of enjoyment of rights.10 10. In the Global Compact for Migration, States committed themselves to reducing the risks and vulnerabilities that migrants face at different stages of migration, including by 5 6 7 8 9 10 Principles and Guidelines, Supported by Practical Guidance, on the Human Rights Protection of Migrants in Vulnerable Situations (A/HRC/37/34/Add.1). A/HRC/38/41. See also A/HRC/39/45. See www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2019-06-18/secretary-generals-remarks-the-launch-ofthe-united-nations-strategy-and-plan-of-action-hate-speech-delivered; OHCHR, Seven Key Elements on Building Human Rights-Based Narratives on Migrants and Migration (2019) (www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Migration/SevenKeyElements.pdf). United Nations, “Policy brief: COVID-19 and people on the move”, 2020. See also United Nations, “Policy brief: COVID-19 and human rights – we are all in this together”, 2020. A/HRC/37/34/Add.1. Ibid. 3