Beyond Borders and Barriers: Intersectionality of Rights in Migrant Protests

The past few years has seen an increase in migration from the countries in the Global South to countries in the Global North. Migrants are constantly faced with systemic challenges and layered vulnerabilities such as unjust detention, deportation, labor exploitation, and lack of access to healthcare and education based on their legal status, race or socio-economic class. These barriers limit their access to basic fundamental benefits and further compound their marginalization issues. Through protests and advocacy, migrants raise awareness about their struggles, demand for justice, and for policy changes that address their needs. This research delves into the ways in which the instrument of protest empowers migrant communities to challenge injustices, confront discrimination, and assert their rights in host countries. It explores the intersection of the use of protest as a powerful tool for advocacy and social change and the right to protest as rights of migrants. Employing a multidisciplinary approach that combines theoretical analysis (using the push and pull theory of migration), case studies, comparative analysis and empirical research, this study examines how migrant advocacy movements, solidarity movements, civil society organizations, and allies’ synergy to support migrant protesters and amplify their demands for social justice and the transformative potential of protest as a tool for migrant advocacy. The findings of this study aim to inform policy discussions, advocacy strategies, and grassroots movements aimed at promoting the rights and dignity of migrants and fostering a more inclusive and equitable society for all.