Celebrating 20th Anniversary of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families

December 2010
Media Advisory No: N/33/2010

Celebrating 20th Anniversary of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families

Bangkok (UN ESCAP Information Services) – Ahead of International Migrants Day observed annually on 18 December, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Regional Office for South-East Asia, in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Regional Thematic Working Group (TWG) on International Migration including Human Trafficking, is organizing a roundtable discussion on Monday, 13 December from 10.00 to 12.00 noon at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok.

The discussion will focus on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of their Families, which was adopted 20 years ago by the UN General Assembly and entered into force in 2003. To date, 43 countries have become States Parties to the Convention globally, including only 7 countries from Asia and the Pacific – although the region is estimated to be home to some 53 million documented migrants and a high number of non-recorded migrants.

The upcoming event is aimed at promoting the landmark Convention, which opened a new chapter in the history of the rights of migrant workers, providing effective means to protect and respect those rights. The event will also contribute to highlighting the linkage between migration and human trafficking, advocating the role of human rights defenders working on the rights of migrants and trafficked persons.

The roundtable discussion will bring together experts and Government officials who will share their unique insight and experience, including from the viewpoint of countries both of origin and destination and of countries which have ratified the Convention or still are to take the step to ratify it.

Panelists include: H.E. Felipe Frydman, Ambassador of Argentina to Thailand; Mr. Abdelhamid El Jamri, Chairperson, UN Committee on Migrant Workers; Ms. Roostiawati, Director, Indonesian Overseas Workers Placement, Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, Indonesia; Dr. Sung Yong Hwang, Deputy Director, Migration Team of Civil Rights Division, National Human Rights Commission, Republic of Korea; and Mr. William Gois, Regional Coordinator, Migrants Forum in Asia. Ms. Thetis Mangahas, Deputy Director, International Labour Organization (ILO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific will moderate the discussion.

Ms. Nanda Krairiksh and Mr. Andrew Bruce, Co-chairs of the above-cited TWG will deliver the opening remarks, along with Ms. Marcia Kran, Director, OHCHR Research and Right to Development Division.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

You or your representatives are cordially invited to attend the event which will take place from 10.00-12.00 noon on Monday,13 December 2010 at ESCAP Hall of the United Nations Conference Centre, Conference Room 4 (CR4), Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok.

For further information, visit: http://www.un.org/en/events/migrantsday/ or www.unescap.org/sdd/

Or contact:

Camaran Pipes, OHCHR, Tel: 02 288 1605; [email protected]

Wanphen Sreshthaputra, Social Development Division, United Nations ESCAP

Tel: +66 2 288 1586 ,

Cell: + 66 81 824 38 25 ,

E-mail: [email protected]

Thawadi Pachariyangkun, UN ESCAP Information Services,

Tel: + 66-2-288 1861 ,

Cell: + 66 81 835 8647

E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected][email protected]

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Headquartered in Bangkok, United Nations ESCAP is the largest of the UN’s five Regional Commissions in terms of its membership, population served and area covered. The only inter-governmental forum covering the entire Asia-Pacific region, ESCAP works to promote sustainable and inclusive economic and social progress. More information on ESCAP is available at www.unescap.org