Solidarity for the Protection of the Rights and Welfare of Migrant Workers

(Also adopted as Principles of Unity of the Migrant Forum in Asia)

We, the participants of the conference on "Living and Working Together with Migrant Workers in Asia," held on 15-19 May 1994 at Hsinchu Bible College in Taiwan, while reaffirming our commitment to stand in solidarity with the migrant workers both in the sending countries and in the receiving countries:

• The deplorable condition of migrant workers, including migrant fisherfolk;
• the failure and inadequacies of governments to protect the rights of and respond to the needs of migrant workers;
• the corrupt and devious practices of intermediaries such as recruitment agents;
• the powerful role that syndicates play, especially in the trafficking of women and children.

Affirm:

• The tenacity of migrant workers to put up with harsh working conditions;
• the work and efforts of groups from both sending and receiving countries in regards to migrant issues;
• the role and vital contributions of the non government organizations (NGOs) and the initiatives taken by religious and secular bodies in migrant issues;
• the concern of international bodies like those of the International Labor Organization and the United Nations, for the issues of workers.

Resolve:

• To uphold and protect the rights and dignity of migrant workers;
• to promote the rights of migrant workers by organizing them and linking them with host country trade unions and through solidarity measures;
• to establish the solidarity with local trade unions and other workersÆ organizations;
• to network with agencies both at government and non-government levels to pursue common interests in regards to migrant workers;
• to share information and experiences;
• to take effective actions to ensure the safety of migrant workers and their families who are trapped in international conflicts, such as in Yemen today;
• to pressure national government and agencies to eliminate the trafficking syndicates.

Plan:

• To lobby and advocate for the rights and dignity of migrant workers at the highest national levels:

a) to demand that receiving and sending countries ratify and implement the 1990 International Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and their Families; and,

b) to ensure that the issues of migrant workers are addressed at the forthcoming international events, such as the Beijing, Cairo and Denmark conferences;

• to undertake programs for awareness raising and conscientization;
• to provide immediate relief to undocumented workers languishing in detention centers;
• to alert the public and migrant workers of devious schemes such as the trainee schemes in Japan and Korea;
• to establish a coordinating mechanism to monitor progress and to ensure follow-up action on the recommendations of the Forum.

PARTICIPANTS

Regional NGOs

India

Indonesia

Japan

Korea

Malaysia

Nepal

Philippines

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Taiwan

Thailand

Outside Asia

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