International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

Commission on Human Rights resolution 1996/18

The Commission on Human Rights, Reaffirming once more the permanent validity of the principles and standards embodied in the principal instruments regarding the international protection of human rights, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Bearing in mind the principles and standards established within the framework of the International Labour Organization and the importance of the task carried out in connection with migrant workers and their families in other specialized agencies and in various United Nations bodies, Reiterating that, in spite of the existence of an already established body of principles and standards, there is a need to make further efforts to improve the situation and ensure the human rights and dignity of all migrant workers and their families, Concerned at the situation of migrant workers and members of their families and at the marked increase in migratory movements that has occurred, especially in certain parts of the world, Considering that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (A/CONF.157/23) adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights urges all States to guarantee the protection of all migrant workers and their families, Underlining the importance of the creation of conditions to foster greater harmony and tolerance between migrant workers and the rest of the society of the State in which they reside, with the aim of eliminating the growing manifestations of racism and xenophobia taking place in segments of many societies and perpetrated by individuals or groups against migrant workers, Recalling General Assembly resolution 45/158 of 18 December 1990, by which the Assembly adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, contained in the annex to the resolution, Recalling also its resolution 1991/60 of 6 March 1991, in which it encouraged the Secretary-General to assume an active role in disseminating information on and promoting the Convention through the World Public Information Campaign for Human Rights and the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights and in cooperation with interested United Nations bodies, Bearing in mind that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (A/CONF.157/23) invites all States to consider the possibility of signing and ratifying the Convention at the earliest possible time, Recalling that, in its resolution 1995/21 of 24 February 1995, the Commission requested the Secretary-General to submit to it at its fifty-second session a report on the status of the Convention, Welcoming regional efforts aimed at promoting international cooperation in this field, and in particular the Regional Conference on Migration held in Puebla, Mexico, in March 1996 and the Mediterranean Conference on Population, Migration and Development to be held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in October 1996,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the status of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (E/CN.4/1996/70);

2. Welcomes the fact that some Member States have signed, ratified or acceded to the Convention;

3. Calls upon all Member States to consider the possibility of signing and ratifying or acceding to the Convention as a matter of priority, and expresses the hope that this international instrument will enter into force at an early date;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to provide, from within existing resources, all facilities and assistance necessary for the active promotion of the Convention, through the World Public Information Campaign for Human Rights and the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights;

5. Invites organizations and agencies of the United Nations system, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, to intensify their efforts with a view to disseminating information on and promoting understanding of the Convention;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission at its fifty-third session a report on the status of the Convention and on the efforts made by the Secretariat to promote the Convention and the protection of the rights of migrant workers;

7. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to cooperate with regional and international organizations concerned with the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families;

8. Urges countries of destination to review and adopt, as appropriate, measures to prevent the excessive use of force and to ensure that their police forces and competent migration authorities comply with the basic standards relating to the decent treatment of migrant workers and their families, inter alia, through the organization of training courses on human rights;

9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of the fifty-third session of the Commission the item entitled "Measures to improve the situation and ensure the human rights and dignity of all migrant workers".

35th meeting 11 April 1996 [Adopted without a vote]