In 2000, the UN General Assembly declared 18 December as International Migrants Day. International Migrants Day recognizes the contributions of migrants and the need to protect and promote the rights of all migrants. Most Civil Society and Workers’ Organization recognize 18 December as International Day of Solidarity with all migrant workers and their families, especially the vulnerable ones.

In 2019, there are around 272 million international migrants. Millions are crossing borders seeking new opportunities for decent work and life for themselves and their families.
18 December - International Migrants Day aims to promote respect and protect, social, labour, and human rights of all migrants and members of their families. Every migrant is a human being with human rights. Migrant workers are not commodities.

Migration: Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)

There are around 20.2 million migrants from the ASEAN countries and about 6.9 million migrated within the region. Moreover, the women migrating within ASEAN has increased to 3.3 million in 2017. Women are almost half of intra-ASEAN migrants (48.7 percent). The contribution of migrant workers to the economic growth of both sending and receiving countries is significant.

While ASEAN member states show economic and social progress, but the growing inequalities and environmental degradation, challenges to the implementation of 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. ASEAN needs to go beyond economic growth towards providing decent work that will benefit all migrant workers and their families. ASEAN needs to protect better migrant workers against discrimination, exclusion, exploitation and abuse at every stage of the cycle of migration.

The ASEAN Declaration (2007) and the ASEAN Consensus (2017) on the protection and promotion of the rights of the migrant workers need to be implemented. ASEAN needs to create decent work and living conditions for all migrant workers, and fulfil the rights of migrant workers and their families. At the moment, ASEAN Member States economic growth does not provide better livelihood for most migrant workers. ASEAN needs to create more decent work and effectively enforce Core Labour Standards (1998 ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work).

ASEAN needs to shape the Future of Work with sustainable development and decent work principles to end poverty and benefit all. The World Movement of Christian Workers’ (WMCW) echoes the 4-verb approach to migration of Pope Francis "Dear brothers and sisters, our response to the challenges posed by contemporary migration can be summed up in four verbs: welcome, protect, promote and integrate. ... They describe the Church mission to all those living in the existential peripheries, who need to be welcomed, protected, promoted and integrated.”

The North South Initiative (Malaysia) extends solidarity greetings to all in the struggle to uphold migrant workers rights. As our motto is Viralising Solidarity, we believe that with strong solidarity between movements and across borders, we can address the many challenges faced by migrant workers in Asia and the World. As SDG 8.7 inspires us to address the issue of forced labour, it is vital that the relevant bodies put in the necessary and sufficient resources to combat this cross border and international problem. This is especially in ensuring the global supply chains are clean of forced labour and human trafficking. We also take this opportunity to invite all communities and movements to come together in joint effort and collaboration to address migrant worker rights. We look forward to collaborating with Unions and Faith Based organisations to strengthen the voices of the community in demanding access to justice.

The Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers’ (TFAMW) calls for the implementation of decent work, social protection, labour and human rights for all migrant workers. The 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work apply to all workers, including migrant workers. The governments of the sending and receiving countries must ensure the term of employments respects the Core Labour Standards (CLS). ASEAN Member States needs to implement effectively the zero recruitment and migration-related fees and to adopt the employer-pays principle.

The Christian Family Social Movement (CFSM Singapore) prays for all the Migrant workers who live in constant fear as they may be send home by their employer for some reason or upon completing their term of employment. May they have the strength and spirit to continue working in peace without fear!

Message written by CFSM Movement SINGAPORE

Link: Pope reiterates four-point theme for migrants in Rabat speech:

https://zenit.org/articles/pope-reiterates-four-point-theme-for-migrants-in-rabat-speech/