International Migrant's Day (18 December 2003)

In 1997, Filipino and Asian migrant organisations began celebrating and promoting the 18th of December as the International Day of Solidarity with Migrants. This date was choosen because it was on 18 December 1990 that the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families. In 2000 the UN General Assembly designated 18 December of each year as International Migrant's Day. This year's (third) International Migrant's Day is an even more special occasion as on 1 July 2003 the convention entered into force and will now become binding to all governments that have ratified it.

News

UN protocol against smuggling of migrants set to come into force (5.11.2003)
International call for universal ratification of Migrants Rights Convention (1.07.2003)
Millions of migrants who work in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries lack real legal protection (11.04.2003)
Trade unions call for equal rights for migrants (18.12.2002)
Immigrants, refugees must not be seen as a burden, UN Secretary-General says (18.12.2002)
UN Special Rapporteur calls for new human rights protection regime for migrants (18.12.2002)
UN treaty to protect migrant workers into force (IOM) (18.12.2002)
Physicians for Human Rights Commemorates International Migrant's Day (18.12. 2002)
UN Special Rapporteur salutes Timor Leste's adoption of migrant worker's treaty (11.12.2002)
Spain: Immigration laws applied unfairly (5.07.2002)
Mary Robinson calls on European countries to portray migrants fairly (22.06.2002)
European ministers back economic and social rights of migrants (24.05.2002)
Spain and Morocco abuse child migrants (6.05.2002)

Selected learning materials

Understanding International Migration: A Sourcebook (APIM)
This is a glossary of terms on international migration.

UN Road Map: A guide for Asian NGOs to the International Human Rights System and Other Mechanisms (Canadian Human Rights Foundation)
This manual addresses human rights for migrant workers under both the United Nations system of human rights protection and the International Labor Organization (ILO). A major focus of the this manual is advocating for the rights of women migrant workers.