Migrants Day 2002 english

IOM WELCOMES THE IMMINENT ENTRY INTO FORCE
OF THE UN CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION
OF THE RIGHTS OF ALL MIGRANT WORKERS
AND MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES.

18 December 2002
No. 857

Geneva-18 December 200 2- As the world celebrates International Migrants’ Day, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) welcomes the imminent entry into force of the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

“The Convention can make an important contribution to efforts to promote effective management of migration. Protection of the rights of migrant workers is a key element of a comprehensive approach to the management of migration that meets the needs of an increasingly mobile world population and integrated global economy,” said IOM’s Director General Brunson McKinley.

The Convention sets forth standards for the protection of migrant workers and mechanisms for investigating potential abuses. It promotes inter-state co-operation in addressing these issues and in particular to combat trafficking and smuggling in human beings.

The Convention is a step forward but not a panacea. IOM believes the issue of migrant workers’ rights is closely linked to better migration management. This is why IOM is dedicated to working with governments to help them formulate policies and programmes to manage migration in a comprehensive manner and for the benefit of all.

The world’s population is increasingly mobile. With an estimated 175 million international migrants worldwide, migration has become an essential, inevitable and potentially beneficial component of the economic and social life of every state and every region of the world.

“Migration is a dynamic phenomenon, which involves a great number of actors. Countries around the world have a shared interest in putting in place comprehensive approaches to the management of migration that will ensure the safety and dignity of migrants as they meet national employment, growth, development and security needs. Migrants provide a positive contribution to today's global society. The key is not to prevent mobility but to manage it better,” said McKinley.

On 10 December, Human Rights Day, the National Parliament of Timor Leste adopted the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Timor Leste's ratification, the twentieth, will bring the Convention into force next year. The new Convention itself specifies no implementation role for IOM, but IOM will look for ways to support its objectives.

About IOM:

With 98 member states, 33 observer states and a wide variety of contributing civil society organizations, IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental body, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to:

Uphold the human dignity and well being of migrants.
Encourage social and economic development through migration.
Assist in meeting operational challenges of migration.
Advance understanding of migration issues.