Content
- News on the Migrant Workersí Convention
- International Platform (IPMWC)
- Europe
- Alternative Nobel Prize for Irene Fernandez
- Publications
- International Migrantsí Day
1. News on the Migrant Workersí Convention
… The Convention is now ratified by 33 states, with Lesotho (16.09.05) and Peru (14.09.05) being the latest to join. For an updated list click here
… The third formal session of the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (UN CMW) will be held from 12 to 16 December 2005 in Geneva, Switzerland. It will prepare for the examination of the initial report submitted by Mali under Article 73 of the Convention and adopt its list of issues for the government of Mali. The examination of Mali's report is likely to take place at the Committee's fourth session, in April 2006.
The report can be found by clicking here (only available in French).
Non-governmental organisations are encouraged to attend and provide written contributions to the CMW Secretariat before 31 October 2005 at CMW@ohchr.org
Besides the consideration of reports, the Committee will hold a Day of General Discussion focusing on the topic ìProtecting the rights of all migrant workers as a tool to enhance developmentî on Thursday 15 December 2005. The discussion should enable the Committee to make a contribution to the High Level Dialogue of the General Assembly in 2006 on the relationship between international migration and development. The Committee encourages participation by non-governmental organisations and the submission of written contributions or case studies.
Details about the programme, on how to submit your written contributions and on how to register can be found b y clicking here
Information about the Committee and their working procedure and about NGO access can be obtained from the CMW website.
2. International Platform on the Migrant Workersí Convention (IPMWC)
… The International Platform on the Migrant Workersí Convention (IPMWC) released its first publication: A Guide for NGOs on the Implementation of the UN Migrant Workersí Convention. The publication was produced for the IPMWC by December 18 and is available from our site (click here). Spanish and French versions will be available by the end of October. For printed versions please write to: info@december18.net.
… The IPMWC will hold a meeting on Friday 9 December 2005 in preparation of the NGO contributions to the MWC concerning notably working methods of the MWC with the NGOs and the report of Mali. The IPMWC would encourage any organisation with an in-depth knowledge about migrants rights in Mali or the situation of Mali nationals abroad that could be interested to make a contribution to the Committee and to participate at the December session to contact the IPMWC at info@december18.net.
Information on the IPMWC can be found on December 18 website, please click here.
3. Europe
… On 1st September, the European Commission adopted a package of measures in the field of migration and asylum, comprising a proposal for a Directive on common standards on return and three Communications: on Integration, on Regional Protection Programmes and on Migration and Development.
… Immigrants contribute to the prosperity of Member States, they have a beneficial effect on the EU labour market and they should be granted similar rights to EU citizens, the Civil Liberties Committee said earlier this month in a hotly contested report aimed at defining for the first time an EU strategy on economic migration. The committee heavily amended the original text by Ewa Klamt (EPP-ED, DE) in an effort to place more emphasis on the integration of legal immigrants. To read the press release, click here.
… The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Dr. Jorge Bustamante, is deeply concerned over recent reports of deaths of migrants of sub-Saharan origin on the border between the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and Morocco. The Special Rapporteur is also profoundly concerned over reports of collective deportations of migrants and asylum seekers carried out by Moroccan authorities. "Collective deportations are banned by Article 22 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families. This is a binding provision for Morocco, a State-party of the Convention", said the Special Rapporteur. "Collective deportations in these conditions endanger the right to life", he added. He said the situation in Morocco and the Spanish enclaves is not just a problem of border control. "Migration is a much more complicated phenomenon than just preventing people from crossing borders. We have to put people and their rights at the centre of our decisions, policies and measures, and advocate consistently for a human rights approach to migration". For the full press release, click here (English only).
4. Alternative Nobel Prize for Irene Fernandez
The 2005 Right Livelihood Award goes to the Director of Tenaganita (Malaysia) ìfor her outstanding and courageous work to stop violence against women and abuses of migrant and poor workersî. She shares the prize with Franscisco Toledo (Mexico), Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke (Canada) and the organisation First People of the Kalahari, and its founder Roy Sesana, from Botswana.
5. Publications
… The Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) presented its final report to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on October 5th. In the report entitled Migration in an interconnected world: New Directions for Action, the GCIM calls for greater coherence in migration policies. The full report and related documents can be found here or through the December 18 site.
… The new PICUM report Ten Ways to Protect Undocumented Migrant Workers presents detailed information obtained from NGOs, trade unions and other actors working with and advocating for undocumented workers, both in Europe and the United Sates. For more information write to info@picum.org.
6. International Migrantís Day
We're again getting in touch with you with the request to let us know if your organization will be organizing any activities this year to celebrate International Migrant's Day. Because we believe it's important to show the growing international solidarity around the respect for and protection of the human rights of migrants we will continue to provide our website and newsletter as a platform to share information about the IMD activities.
We certainly hope that you will get in touch with us shortly so that we can add your activities to our IMD Calendar. We will continue to update our site regularly and will also seek to secure coverage of IMD activities by other portal sites and media outlets.
As many of you will know, we developed a special IMD logo which can be used by all of you. Please do let us know if you wish us to produce the logo in your own language(s).
We will also publish IMD statements and press releases on our site, so please do send them to us as soon as they are available.
Finally, it would be great if you could inform us of any IMD activities in other countries and send us the contact details so that we can get in touch with as many organizations as possible.
See IMD 2004
See IMD 2005
Published by December 18 vzw
Contact: info@december18.net
The Spanish, Italian, and French versions are available upon request.
Spanish version translated by Elisa Starkof, December 18, Argentina
French version translated by CathÈrine Thomas, December 18, France
Italian version translated by Eny Giambastiani, December 18, Italy