Migration and Migrant Workers
- Photo by Mink, Flickr Creative Commons
As the world becomes increasingly globalised, the treatment of people moving across borders to live and work represents one of the key policy and human rights challenges of our times.
Migration affects every region of the world, and many countries are now simultaneously countries of origin, destination and transit.
An estimated 214 million people – or three per cent of the world’s population – currently live outside their country of origin, with many motivated by the search for work, new opportunities and a better life.
Indeed, migrant workers – those who migrate for employment – and their families account for about 90 per cent of all international migrants.
While for some migration is a positive and empowering experience, many migrants endure human rights violations and discrimination at the hands of state officials, employers and others.
Migrants often work in jobs that are dirty, dangerous and degrading. They can be vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, including being forced to work during their holidays, being payed salaries irregularly or not paid at all, and having their passports or documentation withheld.
They can also experience limited access to fundamental economic and social services, such as education and health services.
While countries have a sovereign right to determine conditions of entry and stay in their territories, they also have an obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all individuals within their jurisdiction, regardless of nationality or origin and regardless of immigration status.
The International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and relevant ILO conventions provide a clear and internationally agreed set of rights, along with corresponding obligations on States.
Role of the APF
Promoting and protecting the rights of migrant workers is a priority issue for many national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in the Asia Pacific region.
The Seoul Guidelines, adopted at a major conference of NHRIs and civil society groups in 2008, outline a roadmap for regional cooperation on the issue.
On a sub-regional level, the NHRIs of South East Asia – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand – identified the issue as one of their five priority areas for joint action and in 2010 published a policy paper with regional and country-specific recommendations.
Individual APF members have also established cooperative arrangements with each other to monitor and respond to the human rights issues facing migrant workers in ‘sending’ and ‘receiving’ countries.
The APF currently facilitates a focal point network, involving staff from member institutions who share information and examples of ‘good practice’ in promoting and protecting the rights of migrant workers.
We also work in partnership with the Diplomacy Training Program to help build the skills and capacity of NHRIs in the region to respond effectively to the issue.
Regular training programs bring together representatives from APF member institutions and NGOs in the Asia Pacific to discuss emerging issues, develop practical strategies and forge relationships to promote the rights of migrant workers at the national and regional level.
The APF is currently drawing on the expertise of member institutions and the Diplomacy Training Program to develop an Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions on the Rights of Migrant Workers, which is expected to be published in 2012.
More information
ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers
