MIGRANT NEWS, Issue 86, 18 December 2004
International IMD calendar 2004
Non-governmental organizations and governments from 28 countries informed us about their events and activities, demonstrating the growing success of International Migrant’s Day. More details on the following pages:
English: http://www.december18.net/web/general/page.php?pageID=293&menuID=36&lang=EN
Français: http://www.december18.net/web/general/page.php?pageID=294&menuID=36&lang=FR
Español: http://www.december18.net/web/general/page.php?pageID=296&menuID=36&lang=ES
Italian: http://www.december18.net/web/general/start.php?menuID=36&lang=IT
Statement by Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam,
Chairperson of the UN Committee on Migrant Workers on
the occasion of International Migrant’s Day
NO EXCUSES FOR LACK OF REALIZATION OF
RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, CHAIR OF EXPERT PANEL SAYS
Fourteen years
ago, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members
of their Families.
One year ago the
States parties to the Convention gathered in order to elect the members of its
monitoring body, the Committee on Migrant Workers, of which I have the honour
to be the first Chairperson.
Today, we can be
happy that this Committee, which is composed of ten committed and highly
qualified experts, is now fully operational. My colleagues and I are looking
forward to continuing our work for the implementation of the Convention and for
the improvement of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families.
The system is now
in place to provide migrant workers and their families with effective
protection against the violation of their human rights. In the world of today,
where globalization has led to increasing migration flows, this is more
important than ever. Migrants have now become an integral part of the world’s
economy, and without them the world would be in all respects a poorer place.
Unfortunately, however, migrant workers still face many difficulties at all
stages of the process of migration, be it in their country of origin, in the
country of transit, or in the country of employment. It is in this respect that
the Convention can play an important role: it provides a framework for all
States to respect the basic rights of migrant workers and their families.
I should like to
emphasize that by defining and specifying human rights of migrant workers and
members of their families the Convention also greatly contributes in combating
trafficking in human beings and irregular migration. These phenomena are among
the most tragic occurrences of our times, when people, in an effort to improve
their lives, fall victim to unscrupulous traffickers and employers who abuse
their vulnerability. By defining migrants’ rights and by requesting States to
cooperate in promoting sound, equitable and humane conditions, the Convention
creates an essential framework to tackle the grievous issues of smuggling of
migrants and trafficking in persons.
For this convention to be a more effective instrument of protection for
migrant workers, it is essential that States involved in all stages of the
migration process, both from developing and developed world, become, parties to
it.
On the occasion of
International Migrants Day, I therefore call upon all States who have not yet
done so to consider adhering to the Convention; and upon all States who are
already a party to the Convention, to cooperate with each other and with the
Committee in order to give effective implementation of the Convention.
Today, we have no
more excuses: Let us resolve to work together in order to achieve the full
realization of human rights for migrant workers and members of their families.
Website: http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2155.doc
To
commemorate International Migrant’s Day, the Global Commission on International
Migration is launching an exercise to solicit the views of key stakeholders in
the field of international migration.
Governments, NGOs,
migrant associations, trade unions, human rights organizations, private sector
companies, academic institutes and other interested parties are all invited
to make submissions to GCIM,
which will be taken into account in the preparation of the Global Commission’s
final report. Submissions should be no longer than 10 pages in length, and
should address any or all of the following questions:
1. How can the developmental impact of international migration be
maximized in the world’s poorer countries?
2. What strategies should be adopted to address the issue of irregular
migration?
3. How can the inclusion and integration of migrant communities best be
promoted in the societies where they have settled?
4. What steps can be taken to ensure that the human rights and welfare
of migrants, especially migrant women, are more effectively protected?
5. How could the legal and normative framework relating to
international migration be reinforced?
6. How can the governance of international migration be strengthened at
national, regional and global levels?
Please send your
submissions to info@gcim.org by 31
March 2005. GCIM is looking forward to hearing from you.
Website: http://www.gcim.org/IntMigrDay.htm
Statement by December 18
Worldwide respect for migrants’ rights!
Today, the 18th of December, we show our global
solidarity with migrants working and living outside their country and with
those people who put at risk their own freedom or life when defending migrants'
rights.
It is also an occasion to remind
governments as well as employers of the importance of a universal legal
framework outlining minimum standards for the protection of the rights of
migrant workers. Countries from the South continue to ratify/sign the UN
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Their
Families. Gabon just signed bringing the total number of signatories to 16,
with the present status of ratifications being 27. In Europe, however, both
national governments as well as the European institutions remain reluctant,
although the debates around integration and managed labour migration put the
issue of respect for the rights of migrants squarely on the agenda. We
therefore welcome the establishment of the European Platform for Migrant
Workers Rights, bringing together civil society organisations from across
Europe with the aim to finally get one of the EU member states to ratify the
Convention.
Anti-discrimination, labour rights, the
right to health care and social security, the right to family life, to freedom
of expression, movement and religion, the right to education, etc. are only a
few aspects of the Convention our societies in the North deeply value... at
least when we speak about our own human rights, protected by increasingly
enforced and militarised borders and with our wealth being supported by the
hard labour provided by migrant workers.
The International Migrant's Day was
established to celebrate the contributions made by millions of migrants to our
economies and civil societies. However, as mentioned by the Centro de Reflexión
Encuentro y Solidaridad in the Dominican Republic in their communication, there
is not much reason to do so in their country. The same goes for many other
countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australia. Slavery,
discrimination, arrests, exploitation, physical and sexual abuses are daily
facts of life for many migrants.
One wonders what we are talking about when
we state that respect for human rights forms the basic value of modern
democratic societies.
Website: http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2155.doc
Other Statements
Amnistía Internacional denuncia la discriminación y
los abusos que padecen los migrantes en todo el mundo
http://es.amnesty.org/cms/index.php?&id=6&backPID=6&tt_news=141
Amnesty International Spain
Décimo cuarto aniversario de la Convención
Internacional para la Protección de los Derechos de Todos los Trabajadores
Migratorios y de sus Familiares
http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2143.doc
Foro Nacional para las Migraciones, Honduras
End the exploitation, violence and
abuse, protect and promote the rights of all women migrant workers
http://www.apwld.org/statement_migrants.htm
Asian Pacific Forum on Women, Law and
Development, Thailand
Integrating Migrants - Integrating Societies: Essential
Elements for EU Migration Policy
http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2144.pdf
Joint Statement by Churches’ Commission
for Migrants in Europe, Caritas Europe, Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences
of the European Community, International Catholic Migration Commission, Jesuit
Refugee Service Europe and Quaker Council for European Affairs
Joint statement of Migrants Rights
International and Migrant Forum Asia
http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2159.doc
Migrants Rights International,
Switzerland & Migrant Forum Asia, Philippines
Migrant workers are vulnerable to human rights
violations and AIDS
http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2151.doc
CARAM ASIA, Malaysia & Migrant Forum Asia,
Philippines
Migrants: des droits comme tout le monde!
http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2152.pdf
Collectif sur la ratification de la Convention sur les
droits des migrants et autres associations, France
National statement for International
Migrant’s Day
http://www.nnirr.org/dec18/statement2004.htm
Declaración Nacional Para el 18 de
Diciembre
http://www.nnirr.org/dec18/statement2004esp.htm
National Network for
Immigrant and Refugee Rights, US
NGOs call for ratification of UN Migrant Workers’ Convention
http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2162.doc
Amnesty International,
Immigrant Council Of Ireland & Migrants Rights Centre Ireland
Protecting Migrant Workers’ rights
http://web.amnesty.org/wire/December2004/migrant_workers
Amnesty International Secretariat
Putting the Migrants at the Center!
http://www.migrantwatch.org/IMDRelease_MRI_18Dec2004a.htm
Migrants Rights International,
Switzerland
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urges
wider ratification of Migrant Rights’ Convention
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/sgsm9647.doc.htm
Le Secrétaire-général des NU Kofi Annan
demande une plus grande ratification de la Convention des droits des
travailleurs migrants
http://www.un.org/News/fr-press/docs/2004/SGSM9647.doc.htm
Statement by the ILO Director General
http://www.december18.net/web/docpapers/doc2169.doc
Valuing Migration
http://www.iom.int/en/news/pr873_en.shtml
Evalution et mise
en valeur de la convention
http://www.iom.int/en/news/pr873_fr.shtml
Evaluar y Valorar la Migracion
http://www.iom.int/en/news/pr873_sp.shtml
International Organization for Migration
Status of the UN Convention on the Protection of
the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
To date,
there are in total 27 ratifications and 16 signatures. No new ratifications
were received during the past month, but Gabon was added to the list of
signatories.
For more
about the Convention (including updated list of ratifications and signatures)
and NGO campaigns, please view:
English: http://www.december18.net/web/general/page.php?pageID=79&menuID=36&lang=EN
Spanish: http://www.december18.net/web/general/page.php?pageID=297&menuID=36&lang=ES
Italian: http://www.december18.net/web/general/page.php?pageID=214&menuID=36&lang=IT
French: http://www.december18.net/f-UNconvention.htm
International
Migrants Day T-shirts available now!!
http://www.nnirr.org/news/news_tshirts.htm
END
Published by December 18 vzw
For more
information, please contact Myriam De Feyter at info@december18.net
Spanish, Italian,
Arabic and French version available upon request.
Spanish version
translated by Mariela Barcelo, Argentina
French version
translated by Yannick Bouchetout, France
Italian version translated by Eny
Giambastiani, Italy
Arabic
version translated by Mirella McCracken, US