2026 Human Security Award has been given to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
IOM received the award on behalf of the Pacific Climate Change, Migration and Human Security (PCCMHS) programme.
The PCCMHS programme is a flagship regional initiative jointly implemented with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), in support of Pacific governments and communities, and in collaboration with civil society organizations.
With his award, the Pacific Island countries have been recognized for their leadership in addressing climate mobility through rights-based and human-centred approaches highlighting the region’s efforts to respond to growing impacts of the climate crisis on communities, livelihoods and human mobility.
“In 2023, Pacific Island Forum Leaders endorsed the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility, and its implementation is part of the 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific. The PCCMHS programme has been essential to delivering this priority and demonstrates what can be achieved through meaningful and enduring partnerships,” remarked Desna Solofa, PIFS Deputy Secretary General.
Supported by the Government of New Zealand and the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, the programme commenced in 2019 to help Pacific Island countries respond to growing impacts of the climate crisis on human mobility.
Across the Pacific, communities are already experiencing sea-level rise, coastal erosion, extreme weather events and environmental degradation, all of which are influencing how people move, adapt and plan for the future.
“This recognition belongs first and foremost to Pacific communities and governments,” added Solomon Kantha, IOM Chief of Mission and Sub-Regional Coordinator for the South Pacific, who received the award in New York on behalf of partners. “Through the programme, the Pacific has positioned itself as a global leader in climate mobility approaches grounded in human security and regional cooperation.”
Since its launch, the programme has supported countries across the Pacific to strengthen national capacities, improve policies and planning, and deepen regional cooperation on climate mobility.
It has also contributed to a stronger evidence base on climate mobility challenges – promoting approaches that allow migration to remain a choice, prevent and address displacement, support communities that choose to stay and adapt, and protect rights of the Pacific peoples, particularly those at risk of being left behind.
As the climate crisis increasingly shapes the future of the Pacific, PCCMHS partners reaffirm their commitment to support Pacific Island countries in ensuring that climate mobility is addressed not as a crisis to react to, but as a challenge that can be planned for, managed, and navigated with rights and dignity.
The Human Security Award, supported by the UN Human Security Unit and the Group of Friends of Human Security, recognizes UN programmes that have successfully translated the human security approach into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
It celebrates initiatives that address interconnected risks and vulnerabilities through integrated, human-centred and preventive solutions that protect dignity, strengthen resilience and contribute to sustainable development and lasting peace.
