Measures to improve the situation and ensure the human rights and dignity of all migrant workers.

31. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE*
127. Measures to improve the situation and ensure the human rights and dignity of all migrant workers

The General Assembly, Recalling the terms of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights[1] and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,[2] Considering the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961[3] and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963,[4] Considering also the Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975,[5] and the Recommendation concerning Migrant Workers, 1975,[6] adopted by the General Conference of the International Labour Organisation, Recalling its resolutions 2920 (XXVII) of 15 November 1972, 3224 (XXIX) of 6 November 1974 and 3449 (XXX) of 9 December 1975 concerning migrant workers, and Economic and Social Council resolution 1749 (LIV) of 16 May 1973, in which the Council affirmed the need for the United Nations to consider the situation of migrant workers in an interrelated manner and in relation to general factors which have a bearing on human rights and human dignity, Aware that the problem of migrant workers continues to be of major importance to many States, despite the existence of international instruments and despite efforts exerted by certain States, including the adoption of bilateral agreements, Believing that this problem is becoming more serious in certain regions for political, economic, social and cultural reasons, Seriously concerned at the de facto discrimination frequently suffered by alien workers in some countries despite the legislative and other efforts exerted to prevent and punish it, Noting with satisfaction the work done in the field of migrant workers by the specialized agencies, particularly the International Labour Organisation, and by other United Nations organs, such as the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities,

1. Calls upon all States, taking into account the provisions of the relevant instruments adopted by the International Labour Organisation and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to take measures to prevent and put an end to all discrimination against migrant workers and to ensure the implementation of such measures;

2. Invites all States:

(a) To extend to migrant workers having regular status in their territories treatment equal to that enjoyed by their own nationals with regard to the protection of human rights and to the provisions of their labour legislation and their social legislation;

(b) To promote and facilitate by all means in their power the implementation of the relevant international instruments and the adoption of bilateral agreements designed, inter alia, to eliminate the illicit traffic in alien workers;

(c) To adopt, pending the conclusion of such agreements, the appropriate measures to ensure that the fundamental human rights of all migrant workers, irrespective of their immigration status, are fully respected under their national legislation;

3. Invites Governments of host countries to make arrangements for information and reception facilities and to put into effect policies relating to training, health, housing and educational and cultural development for migrant workers and their families, and to guarantee the free exercise by them of activities calculated to preserve their cultural values;

4. Further invites Governments of countries of origin to give the widest possible dissemination to information calculated to pre-advise and protect migrants;

5. Invites all States to intensify efforts to enlighten public opinion in host countries on the importance of the contribution made by migrant workers to economic and social development and to raising the level of living in such countries;

6. Calls upon all States to give consideration to ratifying the Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975, adopted by the General Conference of the International Labour Organisation;

7. Calls upon the United Nations organs and specialized agencies, including the International Labour Organisation, concerned with the question of migrant workers to continue devoting their attention to this question;

8. Recommends that the Commission on Human Rights and the Economic and Social Council should consider this question at their next sessions on the basis of the instruments adopted and the documents and studies prepared by the United Nations and the specialized agencies, including the study by the Special Rapporteur on the exploitation of labour through illicit and clandestine trafficking[7] and the report of the Seminar on the Human Rights of Migrant Workers, held at Tunis from 12 to 24 November 1975.[8]

102nd plenary meeting
16 December 1976

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[1] Resolution 217 A (III). [2] Resolution 2106 A (XX), annex. [3] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 500, No. 7310, p. 95. [4] Ibid., vol. 596, No. 8638, p. 261. [5] International Labour Office, Official Bulletin, vol. LVIII, 1975, Series A, No. 1, Convention No. 143. [6] Ibid., Recommendation No. 151. [7] E/CN.4/Sub.2/L.640. [8] ST/TAO/HR/50.