181 nations voted to approve it, while three—the Dominican Republic, Eritrea, and Libya—abstained.
"The U.S. objected to the part aimed at limiting detentions of asylum seekers," Agence France-Presse reported. The agreement states: "The development of non-custodial and community-based alternatives to detention, particularly for children, will be supported."
The document was welcomed by human rights organizations—including International Rescue Committee (IRC), Oxfam, and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)—who said it has the potential for improving refugee systems, by ensuring equity in hosting refugees, accountability for meeting the goals of the Compact, elevating the voices of refugees themselves in improving the system, and improving their lives.