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In depth I  Convention on rights of migrants Migrant workers: a guide for NGOs Source: December 18 A Guide for Non-Governmental Organisations on the Implementation of the UN Migrant Workers’ Convention is a handbook prepared by December 18 for the International NGO Platform on the Migrant Workers ’ Convention (IPMWC). Pdf format, December 2005.[see more]   print    send   Correct  ADD YOUR COMMENT >> II World Social Forum on Migrations - June 2006 The United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families came into force on 1 July 2003. It was approved in 1990, but its entry into force required ratification by 20 states party. Thirteen years later, when Guatemala ratified the Convention on March 13, this threshold was reached. The World Migration Report 2003 (published by the International Organization for Migration) estimates that 2.9% of the world's population -175 million people or one person in 35- are migrants largely motivated by a desire for economic betterment. Migrants constitute an extremely vulnerable group. The fundamental human rights of migrants are too easily violated or ignored. This is most true for those who do not qualify for one of the categories (e.g. citizen, refugee, registered foreign worker, student) that normally secure people legal protection. This situation has been aggravated by fears of terrorism and economic insecurity. Against this backdrop the Convention came into force. It was a long process that involved active international campaigning and mobilization. In 1998 a Global Campaign was launched and a Steering Committee was set up. This is an alliance of intergovernmental agencies and international church, labour, human rights, migrants and women's organizations that provides information about the Convention and promotes cooperation for universal ratification of the Convention. Previous UN Conferences, such as the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR), also contributed to rise awareness on the Convention. The discrimination to which migrants are constantly exposed brought migrants' rights activists to the Conference. With regards to the weaknesses of the Convention, despite the entering into force there is a low number of ratifications. No Western migrant-receiving country has ratified it, even though the majority of migrant workers live in Europe and North America. Other important receiving countries, such as India, Japan, Australia and the Gulf States, have not ratified the Convention either. Another weak point is that migrant workers remain dependent upon the receiving State for protection of their rights. It also has been pointed out that the Convention fails to recognize the special problems of women migrant workers and child workers. This Convention is not the first international instrument that aims at protecting migrant workers’ rights. There are two ILO conventions (from 1949 and 1975) that set standards for this special category of workers. Although many developed countries have ratified them, compliance with these previous regulations has been poor. Nothing indicates that this situation will change with the entry into force of the UN Convention. It is, however, an additional tool that non-governmental organizations can use to their advantage in their advocacy work. One of the most delayed UN instruments is now a reality. Versión en español share:   print    send   correct  ADD YOUR COMMENT >>  The convention  Analysis and opinions  Entry into force: the campaign  Entry into force: articles and statements  The role of ILO  WCAR and migration  UN and inter-agency information  Steering Committee: intergovernmental organizations  Steering Committee: civil society organizations  Statements  On migration   News Up-to-date current affairs information. Thu Apr 20 2006 The state of the world's refugees 2006 Fuente: UNHCR Fri Jun 24 2005 World Migration 2005: costs and benefits of international migration Fuente: IOM In-depth reports Detailed reports on key issues Migrations Migratory movements have become more intense, and with them old and new human rights problems gain greater relevance. Global labour rights As transnational corporations spread their operations around the world in search of a cheap and flexible labour force, the call for global labour rights becomes more urgent. Migrant sex work By simply opting to talk about ‘migrant sex work’ rather than ‘trafficking’, one is taking sides in a complex debate. Migration: Hemispheric Conference Hemispheric Conference on International Migration: Human Rights and Trafficking in Persons in the Americas NGOs NGO web sites Asian Migrant Centre (AMC) Regional organisation focuses on Asian migrant workers' concerns. Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Uganda (GALA Uganda) The GALA programming and planning agenda are currently set by an approach designed to examine, enhance, and improve the emotional, social, political, educational, and spiritual lives of Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals and Transgendered people in Uganda.      The convention Text of the Convention, ratifications, declarations and reservations, and information on its implementation. Status of the ratifications Source: UNHCR There are 22 States parties as of 10 June 2003. Declarations and Reservations Source: UNHCHR The implementation: obligations arising at a national and international level Source: Migrants Rights International The implementation of the Migrant Workers Convention entails obligations both at a national level for the States that are parties to the Convention and at an international level for the Treaty Body reviewing the application of the Convention. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families Source: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/158 of 18 December 1990. Full text. The committee of experts Source: Migrant.News A Committee will be implemented to review the application of the Convention. This article describes how the committee will operate and contains a section that explains the role that NGOs play in the whole process. First session of the Committee on the Rights of Migrants For the purpose of reviewing the application of the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families a committee was appointed. Its first session was held from March 1-5 2004. It included a meeting with NGO representatives, where the fundamental role of civil society for the promotion of Convention and for the protection of the human rights of migrants was stressed. This report of the Committee’s meeting with NGO representatives also includes the transcription of the presentations by attending NGOs (doc format). Launched International NGO Platform on the Migrant Workers’ Convention Source: December 18 The Platform aims at facilitating the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. It is a civil society initiative to encourage and facilitate non-governmental involvement in the monitoring of the implementation of this core international human rights treaty. It is a civil society initiative to encourage and facilitate non-governmental involvement in the monitoring of the implementation of this core international human rights treaty. April 19, 2005, pdf format.    Analysis and opinions Some of the following articles were taken from the December 18 website. Several were published before the entry into force of the Convention. The UN treaty that rich nations are afraid of According to this article, what is needed for this treaty is to find the right international regulations so that the number of migrant workers will not balloon to unmanageable proportions. The working caste Source: The American Prospect After an introduction on migrants in general, this article states that after the entering into force a huge obstacle remains: all of the countries that have signed on are developing nations that, on balance, send their citizens to work abroad. Rich nations rebuff treaty protecting migrant workers Source: IPS News This article states that the impact of the convention is limited by the fact that only 22 out of the 191 UN member states have ratified it. Migrant workers' convention not a magic solution Source: IPS According to this article, millions of Asia's migrant workers may have little to celebrate when the Convention, supposedly upholding their rights, comes into force, judging from poor compliance with existing international labour standards. Human rights of migrant workers: a house is not a home This article states that in the Convention “the migrant worker remains dependent upon the receiving State for protection of the rights and, alas, therein lies the rub!” It also states that the Convention fails to recognize the special problems of women migrant workers and child workers. Nations do not back UN migration conference Source: IPS Thalif Deen According to this article, the U.N. has failed again to generate political support for a longstanding proposal to organise an international conference on migration and development.    Entry into force: the campaign After the Convention was approved, it was necessary to carry out an international Campaign for its entry into force. As the minimum number of ratifications has been achieved, the Campaign now aims at widening the scope of the Convention with more ratifications, especially from developed countries. The Global Campaign for the Ratification of the Convention Source: Migrants Right International General information on the Campaign, its importance and its Steering Committee. Achieving dignity: campaigners' handbook for the Convention Source: Migrants Right International This handbook is intended to provide background and orientation for people (including migrants themselves) involved in the campaign. UN Migrant Workers' Convention Source: December 18 Ratifications, national NGOs' campaigns, country positions, etc. 18 December 2004: International Migrants Day Source: MRI Call for universal ratification of the UN International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. For those States that are Parties to the Convention, there is a call on their obligation implement the Convention, while at the same time enjoining the support and participation of members of civil society and migrant organizations in monitoring its implementation.    Entry into force: articles and statements Several actors commented on the significance of this stage and the actions to be taken to achieve its full implementation. Many of these articles were taken from the December 18 website. Summary of the Panel Presentation Marking the Entry into Force of the Convention Source: Migrants Rights International To mark the entry into force of the Convention, a high level panel presentation took place on 1 July in Geneva. Summary of the presentations. As treaty on migrant workers enters into force, Annan urges nations to join effort Source: UN United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on all countries which have not yet done so to sign and ratify the international treaty on the rights of migrant workers and their families, calling it "a landmark in the broader struggle for the international protection of human rights". Joint Statement by ILO, IOM, UNHCHR and UNESCO Source: December 18 “Entry into force of this Convention offers an opportunity to commit towards increasing cooperation and joint activity to protect the human rights and dignity of migrants worldwide” (pdf format). ICFTU: new treaty a major breakthrough for migrant workers Source: ICFTU While the entry into force is being hailed by the ICFTU as a major breakthrough for migrant workers, the organization is concerned that none of the major immigrant “receiving” countries in North America and Europe, where 60% of the world’s migrants live, have ratified it. Press release by Migrants Rights International Source: Migrants Rights International "It took almost thirteen years for this important instrument to become part of international law. And these years involved a lot of campaigning from among civil society organizations in all parts of the world, actively promoting and popularizing the Convention and urging their governments to ratify”, said MRI’s international coordinator. IOM welcomes the entry into force of the Convention Source: IOM "The Convention can make an important contribution to efforts to promote effective migration management. Protecting the rights of migrant workers is a key element of a comprehensive approach to managing migration that meets the needs of an increasingly mobile population," said IOM's Director General Brunson McKinley. As the treaty enters into force, migrant workers need protection Source: HRW According to Human Rights Watch, industrialized countries that benefit economically from migration should sign up to the Convention. The Migrant Watch on the entry into force Source: PMRW A whole issue of the Philippine Migrants Rights Watch newsletter dedicated to the issue (pdf format). Forum on the Convention Source: PMR´W To celebrate the entry into force PMRW held a forum, “Upholding Migrants’ Rights”, on 1 July. Press Release by the Steering Committee on the occasion of the 20th ratification Source: December 18 "In the current international context the Convention is the cornerstone for a strong international migration protection regime." Convention do not offer guarantees, forum says The UN Convention on migrant rights is not a real guarantee for Asian migrant workers, participants of a regional forum on the Convention that was held on 25 July 2003 concluded. Migrant workers: a guide for NGOs Source: December 18 This Guide aims at enabling national or regional non-governmental organisations (NGOs),coalitions and individual organisations to effectively use the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families as a tool for the promotion and protection. Pdf format, August 2005.    The role of ILO The 1990 Convention is based on concepts and language drawn from the two ILO Conventions on migrant workers. Text of the Conventions Source: ILO The ILO set in place two conventions aimed at protecting the rights of migrant workers: the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised) no. 97 of 1949 and the Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention no. 143 of 1975. In this page links to the mentioned conventions are provided, as well as to other ILO standards regarding migration. International instruments and the rights of migrant workers More information on international standards. Global Union Research Network - GURN Protecting migrant workers will take some political willpower. The International Labour Organization, by adopting a multilateral framework for a rights-based approach to labour migration, will be the one to point the way. But trade union organizations can also make a vital difference. They can give migrants what they need most: a voice for their concerns and a springboard to justice and equality. The Global Union Research Network (GURN) was established in January 2004 as a follow up to the millennium debate of the Global Unions Group. After a request from the international labour movement the initiative to establish the network was taken by the ILO's Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) in cooperation with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), the Global Union Federations (GUFs) and the ILO's International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS). The aim of the research network is to give union organizations better access to research carried out within trade unions and allied institutions, while enabling them to exchange information on matters of joint concern and to develop the capacity to make analyses and take part in debates and policy formulation. Towards a fair deal for migrant workers in the global economy Source: ILO A report by the International Labour Organization on labour migration points out the importance of multilateral action in regards to international norms. It emphasizes the promotion by the ILO of the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. The report also offers comprehensive information on the issue: causes and consequences, conditions of work and treatment, international regulation, etc.May 2004, pdf format. Migrant workers and advocates in the International Labour Conference At the 92nd session of the International Labour Conference, which was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 1-17 June, migrant workers and their advocates addressed the tripartite Committee on Migrant Workers, the committee of the Conference that is tasked to lead the general discussion on migrant workers. A Plan of Action was adopted at the end of the Conference. 2004.    WCAR and migration This conference was seen by many organizations as an opportunity to raise awareness about the Convention, as at the time the necessary number of ratifications had not yet been reached. Foundations of dignity: current dynamics of migration and the response of international standards Source: December 18 Transcription of the intervention of P.A. Taran, ILO migration specialist, from the parallel events. It includes a brief analysis of the Convention. Migration and trafficking Source: UNHCHR WCAR’s website on the issue. This section explains why the phenomenon of migration is related to discrimination. It states that it is necessary to better use existing mechanisms to address issues related to he human rights of migrants. One of them is the Convention. Report on WCAR from a migration perspective Source: ICMC According to this comprehensive report, the mention of the need to ratify the Convention is made in the generic Programme of Action (PoA) article on ratification (§ 78 (k). It states that governments participating in the WCAR decided against listing specific Conventions under the different sections of the Declaration and PoA. This was considered, the report claims, as a weakening of the documents by NGOs (pdf format). Relevant paragraphs Source: Migrants Rights Internatioanl Compilation of relevant paragraphs on migration, refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced persons from the WCAR final documents. Declaration and Programme of Action Complete version of the documents. Declaration of the Asia Pacific NGO Forum At this preparatory meeting for WCAR that took place in Tehran, Iran, from 18-19 February 2001, NGOs recommended that the governments of the Asian Pacific region ratify, without reservations, and implement the Convention.    UN and inter-agency information Information relating to migration and the Convention produced by different UN bodies. Inter-agency documents are also included in this section. The rights of non-citizens Source: UNHCHR This working paper deals with issues such as the jurisdictional conflict between the United Nations and the International Labour Organization. It was requested by the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. Information kit on the Convention on Migrants Rights Source: UNESCO Comprehensive information: how the Convention focuses on migrants rights as human rights, how it is the outcome of a long process, how it meant thirteen years of international mobilisation and myths and reality about obstacles to ratification. This kit also includes background information, a glossary and useful links. NGLS Roundup: human rights of migrants Source: UN Background information, issues at stake, migration issues at the UN, information on the Convention and the Campaign, ILO convention and other campaigns. UNESCO on migrants Source: UNESCO Programme that aims at contributing to better policy-making on international migration and social integration in multicultural societies, with special focus on the perspectives for ratification and implementation of Convention. Inter-Agency document on `International Migration, Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia´ Source: UNHCHR A publication prepared by the International Labour Office (ILO), the national Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in consultation with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (doc format). Fact sheet: the right of migrant workers Source: UNHCHR This fact sheet explains the structure and procedures of United Nations human rights treaty monitoring bodies and special mechanisms related to migration.    Steering Committee: intergovernmental organizations The Steering Committee is an alliance of intergovernmental agencies and church, labour, human rights, migrants and women's organizations that provides a more focused flow among the different groups and improves cooperation for the global effort to bring the Convention into force. International Labour Organization ILO on migration. UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.    Steering Committee: civil society organizations December 18 Portal for the promotion and protection of the rights of migrants. Information on the Convention, the global campaign and national NGO campaigns for ratification. Human Rights Watch Independent international NGO that aims at protecting the human rights of people around the world. International Catholic Migration Commission This organization works with refugees, internally displaced people and forced migrants, and gives priority to the most vulnerable and marginalized among these groups. International Confederation of Free Trade Unions A Confederation of national trade union centres, each of which links together the trade unions of that particular country. International Organization for Migration International organization that works with migrants and governments to provide humane responses to migration challenges. International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism IMADR is an international non-profit, non-governmental human rights organization devoted to eliminating all forms of discrimination around the world. Public Services International The international trade union federation Public Services International, PSI, unites public sector workers in more than 600 trade unions in over 140 countries. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom International NGO that works on issues of peace, human rights and disarmament at the local, national and international levels. World Council of Churches International fellowship of Christian churches. Migrants Rights International MRI is a global civil society network of migrant associations, human rights advocates, labour and church-based groups, and experts promoting the human rights of migrants.    Statements The Seoul Statement Participants from 20 Asian countries gathered at the 9th Regional Conference on Migration held in Seoul, Korea, on 13-14 September 2004. The 9th RCM was organized by the Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) and its national partner, the Joint Committee for Migrant Workers in Korea (JCMK) and Asian Migrant Centre (AMC). September 2004.    On migration On the issue of migrations in general. Migrants' human rights not adequately recognised Source: Third World Network Kanaga Raja This is an article on a study commissioned by the International Organisation for Migration. It finds that many migrants are exposed to human rights abuses, but the vulnerability of migrants to these abuses has failed to receive adequate attention. It says that “ Another constraint impeding migrants' full enjoyment of human rights is the failure of a number of countries to ratify” the Convention. Asian migration trail This initiative by IPS Asia aims to generate awareness, debate and analysis of migration issues through media in Asia, with particular focus on reproductive health/gender and the social, emotional cost of migration for work. It includes stories on under-reported aspects of migration. Rights of migrants in the UN Commission on Human Rights 2004 Source: December 18 At the sixtieth session of the Commission on Human Rights the Special Rapporteur on the of migrants highlighted the situation of labour exploitation that migrants face and said in several cases she examined these conditions were analogous to slavery. The Secretary-General and various NGOs also presented reports and statements. April 2004.

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