PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE OEA/Ser.G ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES CP/CAJP-2505/07 9 May 2007 COMMITTEE ON JURIDICAL AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS Original: Spanish

FINAL REPORT: SPECIAL MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, INCLUDING MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES [AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06)]

Washington, D.C. Simón Bolívar Room February 13, 2007 FINAL REPORT: SPECIAL MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, INCLUDING MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Table of Contents

I. Background to the program...... 1 A. Mandates from the Summits of the Americas...... 1 B. Mandates from the General Assembly...... 1 II. Opening session...... 1 III. Experts, academics, and civil society organizations...... 1 IV. Implementation of the program: organs, agencies, and entities of the OAS...1 A. Dialogue with member states...... 1 V. International organizations...... 1 VI. Intergovernmental forums...... 1 VII. Implementation of the Program: OAS member states...... 1 VIII. Conclusions and recommendations...... 1 ANNEX I: Agenda...... 1 ANNEX II: Presentations...... 1 John M. Wilson – Oficina de Derecho Internacional...... 1 Sarah Paoletti – University of Pennsylvania Law School / Rebecca Smith – National Employment Law Project ...... 1 Susan Martin – Georgetown University...... 1 Janie Chuang – Washington College of Law – American University...... 1 Sarnata Reynolds – Amnesty Internacional – Refugee Program...... 1 Victoria Napky – Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos...... 1 Hans van Loon – Conferencia de la Haya sobre Derecho Internacional Privado...1 Berta Fernández – Internacional Organization for Migration...... 1 Jessica Seacor – International Labor Organization...... 1 Juan Carlos Murillo - ACNUR...... 1 Luis Monzón – Conferencia Regional Sobre Migración (CRM)...... 1 FINAL REPORT: SPECIAL MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, INCLUDING MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Washington, D.C. Simón Bolívar Room February 13, 2007

I. BACKGROUND TO THE PROGRAM

The Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, Including Migrant Workers and Their Families (hereinafter the “Program”) is a mandate that proceeds from the Declarations and Plans of Action of the Summits of the Americas. It consists of a number of best practices and activities recommended to the member states of the OAS, its organs, agencies, and entities, other international organizations, and civil society.

The General Assembly adopted the Program in June 2005 by means of resolution AG/RES. 2141 (XXXV-O/05) and, as the first task under the heading “Program follow-up activities,” requested that the Permanent Council convene annual special meetings of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP), with the participation of government experts and representatives of the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, other international organizations, and civil society, for the purpose of sharing best practices and activities carried out each year in support of the Program, as well as new proposals that might be incorporated into it.

The special meeting of the CAJP, held on February 13, 2007, proceeds directly from this mandate, having been convened pursuant to the request made by the General Assembly in its resolution AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06). Pursuant to the Program, the special meeting to which this report refers was held with the participation of representatives of the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, government experts, and experts from other international organizations and civil society, for the purposes indicated above – sharing best practices and activities carried out last year in support of the Program, as well as new proposals that might be incorporated into it.

A. MANDATES FROM THE SUMMITS OF THE AMERICAS

The Program originated in the Summits of the Americas process, in which, at the First Summit, the Heads of State and Government pledged to guarantee the protection of the human rights of all migrant workers. At the Second Summit, the Heads of State and Government pledged to make a special effort in this regard, and at the Third Summit, this concern was expressed, through the Quebec Plan of Action, in a mandate for the establishment of an Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, Including Migrant Workers and Their Families.

Subsequently, the Heads of State and Government, assembled at the Special Summit of the Americas, continued to underscore the importance of cooperation between countries of origin, transit, and destination, to ensure the full protection of the human rights of all migrants, and at the Fourth - 2 -

Summit of the Americas, they reaffirmed the commitment to fully support the Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants.

B. MANDATES FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

As a follow-up to the mandates from the Summits, the General Assembly duly included the item on the human rights of migrants, including migrant workers and their families, in its resolutions AG/RES. 1928 (XXXIII-O/03) and AG/RES. 2027 (XXXIV-O/04), requesting that the Program be prepared by a Working Group of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs. The Group completed its work in May 2005 and the General Assembly adopted the Inter-American Program by means of its resolution AG/RES. 2141 (XXXV-O/05).

In addition, by means of its resolution AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06), the General Assembly requested that the CAJP convene this special meeting, with the participation of government experts and representatives of the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, other international organizations, and civil society, for the purpose of sharing best practices and activities carried out last year in support of the Program, as well as new proposals that might be incorporated into it.

Pursuant to this mandate, the Chair of the CAJP convened preparatory meetings to plan the special meeting, for which he circulated an initial draft agenda, contained in document CP/CAJP- 2413/06, and a preliminary list of participants, contained in document CP/CAJP-2429/06 add.1. The member states submitted their comments in this regard and, at the CAJP meeting held on January 18, 2007, adopted the program of the special meeting by means of document CP/CAJP-2455/07, attached to this report as ANNEX I.

II. OPENING SESSION

The special meeting was opened at 10:00 a.m. by Ambassador Osmar V. Chohfi, Chair of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs and Permanent Representative of Brazil to the OAS, who, after describing in detail the importance of the subject of migration to the countries of the region, and therefore to the Organization of American States, welcomed all the participants and thanked the panelists at the meeting.

Next, Dr. Jean-Michel Arrighi, Director of the Department of International Legal Affairs, took the floor, on behalf of the Secretary General of the OAS, for the official presentation of the Secretary General’s Work Plan for the implementation of the Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants. The Work Plan emanates from the General Assembly, which, in its resolution AG/RES. 2224, requested that the Secretary General, pursuant to paragraph V.A of the Program, prepare such a follow-up mechanism, contained in document CP/CAJP-2456/07, as one of the basic pillars of the organization’s work for the protection of the human rights of migrants.

Following the presentation of the Plan, Dr. Arrighi explained that it recapitulates the specific activities that the Program assigns to the General Secretariat of the OAS and prioritizes them in accordance with tangible commitments and schedules that Secretary General Insulza worked out with - 3 - the heads of each of the areas mentioned in the Program. Lastly, he also mentioned the activities already carried out by the OAS in the framework of the Program through its offices, such as distributing informational materials, holding seminars, disseminating legal information, developing programs to provide protection to migrants, training public officials, etc.

Next, Dr. Freddy Gutiérrez, Special Rapporteur on Migrant Workers of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, presented statistics and figures on the migration phenomenon, underscoring how important it was for multilateral forums to give appropriate consideration to the subject. He also referred to the growing number of women migrants and their impact on the labor market, as well as the effect of female migration on the nuclear family.

In concluding the opening session, Dr. John Wilson of the Office of International Law took stock of the recommendations and conclusions that had emerged from the 2006 special meeting, underscoring two follow-up components for satisfactory implementation of the Program: the special meetings and the Secretary General’s Work Plan. In conjunction with the Program, those two follow- up mechanisms formed a triad of principal OAS activities with respect to migrants that fed back into one another in a continual process of evaluation and development of their three components.

Among the most important general conclusions that Dr. Wilson mentioned were the following: states’ concern with protecting the human rights of migrants; the Secretariat’s and the states’ commitment to the Program; the need to separate states’ migration laws from their labor laws; the need to ensure access to education for all boys and girls regardless of their migration status; the need to respect the labor rights of all workers regardless of their migration status; and the conclusion that the OAS should play a leadership role in the efforts to protect the human rights of migrants.

Among specific recommendations, he underscored the following: reduce the cost of remittances; offer training to public officials; ensure access to education in an atmosphere free of discrimination; disseminate information on legal migration methods and the dangers involved in the smuggling of migrants; reintegrate migrants on their return to their countries of origin; separate migration status from labor status when a labor claim was submitted; conduct research on female migration and its impact on family structure; ensure the voting rights of migrants; ensure the right to health; continue the effort to compile and disseminate the migration legislation, policies, and requirements of member states; facilitate access by migrants to public information, with respect to both citizenship rights and formalities and to their human and labor rights; avoid mixing labor status with migration status to promote cooperation and the protection of all workers within the legal framework of member states; ensure nondiscrimination against migrant workers with respect to safety and health at work, a minimum wage, and legal working hours; ensure access to justice and protection when migrants were victims of crimes and human rights abuses; ensure that undocumented workers were not prevented from turning to local officials and police for fear that they might act as federal migration agents; and incorporate into the Program ways of evaluating the best practices of states in complying with the principles of equity and nondiscrimination and measuring their performance in the important areas mentioned.

III. EXPERTS, ACADEMICS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS - 4 -

The first panel, in which experts, academics, and civil society organizations participated, began after the end of the opening session. Sarah Paoletti, Clinical Supervisor of the Transnational Legal Clinic of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, said that it was vital to protect the human rights of migrants to prevent them being exploited. Although international instruments on the subject existed, the failure to ratify them meant that other existing international instruments, which also afforded generic protection of the human rights of migrants, must likewise be taken into account. She mentioned that, while states were entitled to regulate migration through domestic legislation, they also had international obligations toward migrants under the aforesaid instruments. She placed emphasis on the need for the program to refer to trafficking in persons, the smuggling of migrants, and the atmosphere of abuse and exploitation that usually surrounds migrants. Among practices that might be implemented to better protect the rights of migrants, she mentioned the following: punishing abuse by employers and placing emphasis on violations occurring in the workplace; ensuring health and safety in the workplace, in compliance with all existing regulations; preventing employers from evading responsibility through the use of independent contractors; and achieving full legal representation for migrants. She also said that, irrespective of a worker’s migration status, states should ensure protection and combat discrimination against all migrants by guaranteeing equal rights for all of them. In particular, she mentioned the need for all workers to receive fair wages for their work. Lastly, she suggested that a sharp separation be made between the labor laws and the migration laws, to ensure that migrants did not feel intimidated about exercising their labor rights or reporting abuses by employers.

Susan Martin, Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of International Migration of Georgetown University, said first of all that as disparities between countries persisted, the migration phenomenon was increasing, so that any initiative designed to protect the rights of migrants should attack the causes of the phenomenon in order to reduce it. She explained that any program to protect the rights of migrants should take into account the prerogatives of states, the rights and obligations of migrants, and the cooperation mechanisms that would enable migration to be managed appropriately. On that subject, she suggested that migration be addressed in international forums or through bilateral measures. She also recommended the formulation of appropriate laws and policies and a mechanism to evaluate the existing legal framework, measures to combat the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons, the establishment of an administrative system with staff properly trained to implement laws while respecting rights, and the adoption of anticorruption initiatives. She emphasized that disparity between the rights of those considered migrants and refugees should be avoided. She also referred to the need to strengthen consular protection, establish repatriation and reintegration programs, and provide protection to refugees, among other measures. Lastly, she stressed that there was no inherent tension or conflict between protecting the interests of states and also protecting the rights of migrants, because the two poles must be harmonized for such policies to be effective.

Next, Mr. Sidney Weintraub, Director – Americas Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies, took the floor. Referring to the United States, Mr. Weintraub highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of temporary worker programs in the context of human rights, while stating that he supported other types of solutions, such as granting legal permanent residence, since the aforesaid program apparently had not functioned satisfactorily. Following a detailed description of the elements that would be necessary for a temporary worker program to function, he said that such a program could have the effect of creating a permanent underclass of citizens, whose members had fewer rights than other citizens of the country; that workers subject to that system could feel - 5 - constrained about filing complaints of violations of their rights and organizing and bargaining collectively; and that they could be surrounded by an atmosphere of fear. Lastly, he mentioned that temporary worker programs historically had not functioned as expected; he stressed, however, that those types of programs were preferable to large-scale illegal migration and could help to diminish it. Janie Chuang, Professor – American University, Washington College of Law, focused her presentation on the distinction between human smuggling and human trafficking, explaining the differences and similarities between those acts, both of which were forms of so-called “irregular migration.” She said that while the two categories were conceptually distinct, the distinction was controversial and difficult to apply in practice, especially for the competent authorities, with the result that many victims of human trafficking were not regarded as victims, and the perpetrators could not be prosecuted. To further complicate matters, a human smuggling situation could sometimes turn into a human trafficking situation, and, furthermore, a human trafficking situation could be perceived and dealt with by the authorities as if it involved smuggling of migrants. For that reason, it was important to train the authorities to understand the distinctions properly, especially at the borders. She also said that, although persons categorized as having been smuggled had less protection, even in those cases states had an obligation to protect their fundamental rights and freedoms. Lastly, she stressed that illegal migration, be it in the form of trafficking or smuggling, should be dealt with by addressing its causes, such as poverty, lack of opportunities, and the demand for labor under exploitative conditions in the receiving countries.

Sarnata Reynolds, Director – Refugee Program, Amnesty International USA, mentioned the issue of economies that came to depend on a labor force composed substantially of migrants (legal or illegal); in particular, she condemned the fact that they sometimes employed migrants under abusive conditions with a lesser degree of legal protection. She acknowledged that states could regulate migration through domestic legislation, but said that migrants could not be abused or treated in a way that violated their rights. She explained that migrants helped to stimulate economies and therefore could not be characterized as threats to health, education, security, etc. She also said that the problem of terrorism could not be used as a pretext for not applying international law protecting human rights and therefore leaving migrants unprotected. Elaborating on that idea, she said that migrants who were deported should be guaranteed fair treatment. She said that migration policies and laws should place human rights at the center of the debate and emphasize the protection of the most vulnerable persons, such as women and children. She reaffirmed the importance of involving civil society organizations in the program and urged that campaigns be carried out to raise awareness about migrants’ contributions to society. Lastly, she referred to the need to ratify international instruments on the subject and called on OAS member states to do so.

Among civil society representatives, Taryn Lesser, of Human Rights Internet, also participated, explaining that the growth of migration had had positive results, but had also generated social and economic pressures that could create tensions between and within states. For that reason, the phenomenon should be addressed multilaterally, through cooperation and dialogue. She further explained that her organization worked with the OAS to develop proactive diplomatic practices before the problems generated by migration produced violence or instability. She also presented a book on migration in the Caribbean and the conflicts sometimes inherent in that phenomenon.

The first panel concluded with a statement by a civil society representative, Dania Nelson, of the Organización de Migrantes de Honduras (Honduran Migrants’ Organization), who urged that corruption be combated and legal insecurity eliminated in the Americas as an appropriate way of - 6 - combating the problems related to migration. She also stressed the importance of implementing educational policies centered on the cross-cutting theme of migration and human rights, without neglecting the focus on reintegrating migrants into their countries of origin. In that connection, she presented her novel, entitled El Regreso de la Wetback (“Return of the Wetback”), dealing with the experiences of a Honduran woman migrant.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM: ORGANS, AGENCIES, AND ENTITIES OF THE OAS

Two representatives of organs, agencies, and entities of the OAS participated in the second panel. Speaking first was Dr. Freddy Gutiérrez, Special Rapporteur on Migrant Workers of the Inter- American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), who explained that the OAS needed to disseminate the content of international treaties on the subject and seek their ratification. He said that discrimination against migrants persisted in practice in a number of countries, in spite of their constitutional and legal provisions, a factor that states needed to become aware of and take steps to combat. He further recalled the persisting practice of criminalizing migration, sometimes even by means of prison sentences. He also described migration flows in various countries and underscored the positive contribution that migrants had made in benefiting both the origin and the destination countries. Referring to the imbalances that existed between countries, a factor that encouraged migration, he said that despite the free movement of capital and goods, restrictions continued to be placed on migration.

Francisco Pilotti, Director of the Department of Social Development and Employment of the OAS, reported on the activities carried out by his department in relation to the Inter-American Program. Specifically, he addressed the role that his department played as Technical Secretariat for the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (CIMT), and stressed that the subject of migration and its connection with labor issues played a priority role in the discussions and efforts of the CIMT. Referring to the Plan of Action of Mexico adopted by the Conference, he mentioned the cooperation achievements resulting from other CIMT meetings, including the recent Workshop “Migrant Workers: Protection of Labor Rights and Labor Market Programs,” held in Ottawa, Canada, in November 2006, in which 28 member states, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the IACHR had participated. During the workshop, experiences and specific good practices aimed at promoting the labor rights of migrant workers had been shared, along with specific programs and bilateral agreements aimed at ensuring an orderly management of migration flows. Mr. Pilotti also emphasized the importance of international instruments and bilateral cooperation in dealing with the migration phenomenon and its fundamental relationship to labor issues. He noted that, in view of the intersectoral nature of the phenomenon, it was important to involve various entities in addressing it, and underscored the importance of having reliable statistics and studies on the subject that allowed appropriate policies to be formulated. He said that, because of the important role played by consulates and civil society organizations, cooperation should be strengthened, training provided, etc. Lastly, he said that consideration was being given in 2007 to organizing a workshop with ILO in order to deepen the discussion, particularly of ways to manage labor migration.

A. DIALOGUE WITH MEMBER STATES - 7 -

Bolivia: A dialogue was then opened with member states. The Permanent Representative of Bolivia, viewing with concern alternative proposals, such as temporary worker programs, that would have the effect of creating second-class citizens, said that the humanity of people who migrated must never be overlooked. He urged states to reflect and be more generous in their migration policies. Lastly, he said that the status of migrants was not synonymous with criminal status, and therefore it did not represent a security problem.

Uruguay: The Permanent Representative of Uruguay said that cooperation should be strengthened and asymmetries between states diminished to avoid the negative aspects of the migration phenomenon. In that connection, she mentioned the important progress made by the states members of MERCOSUR and, in the inter-American context, the establishment of the Office of the Special Rapporteur of the IACHR. She also took stock of the importance of the subject in her country, where the Montevideo Commitment on Migration and Development had resulted in the holding in November 2006 of the XVI Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, focused entirely on the subject of migration. Lastly, she mentioned some progress made in her country in the areas of remittances, investment promotion, access to health services, housing, and insurance, and a program on reaffirmation of cultural identity.

Venezuela: The delegation of Venezuela recalled that the country had always been in favor of migration. It was mentioned that the first hemispheric meeting of national authorities on trafficking in persons had been held, and that the country had collaborated with the Office of the Special Rapporteur of the IACHR. The delegation urged that consideration be given to the multisectoral nature of migration, which required that it be analyzed from that perspective, that causes and solutions be identified, and that attention be paid to migrants as persons and not as criminals.

Argentina: The delegation of Argentina emphasized the importance of neither penalizing nor blaming migration as such. Stress was laid on the importance of legality for achieving the integration of foreigners, and the point was made that more flexible mechanisms regulating migration would also combat the traffickers, who profited from restrictive immigration policies. The delegation explained that experience in Argentina showed that unemployment was closely tied to economic policies that induced migration, and that, from the standpoint of security, it was more effective for states to legalize migrants, as that would enable them to regularize their status and make it possible to distinguish between common criminals and migrants in general.

Colombia: The representative of Colombia said that her country had taken initiatives to provide support and information to migrants living abroad, so that they would know their rights and be able to assert them. She also mentioned the efforts to implement the Andean passport and to combat trafficking in persons. She requested that a study to determine whether migration was a right be included in the General Assembly resolution. She also expressed concern at the fact that when migrants were deported, they were treated as if they were criminals, their rights were not recognized, and they often remained in solitary confinement for long periods, with no one having news of their whereabouts. Lastly, she recommended that studies be conducted that would help to eliminate the negative connotations of migration.

El Salvador: The representative of El Salvador emphasized the importance of the United Nations Convention on Migrants’ Rights, and said that the OAS should do more to promote ratification of the Convention and involve itself more actively in aligning countries and viewpoints on - 8 - the subject. She referred to the situation of the most vulnerable migrants, such as pregnant women, children, and the disabled, for whom risks during transit were increased. She recommended that specific steps be followed to protect the rights of those categories of migrants. Lastly, she said that the authorities should identify and distinguish between traffickers and migrants, and recommended that the migration authorities be given the necessary training for that purpose.

Chile: The representative of Chile recommended a number of contributions that the OAS could make to furthering the human rights of migrants, among which were the following: (1) furthering accession to existing legal instruments, including human rights, migration, and labor rights instruments; (2) establishing migration standards; (3) collaborating with entities such as ILO, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the Hague Conference; (4) conducting studies on the interdependence between labor rights and migration and their relationship to human rights; 5) cooperating in the design and implementation of public policies; and 6) raising society’s awareness of the migration phenomenon and eliminating stigmas and other forms of discrimination. He concluded his recommendations by requesting that those topics be included in the resolution to be adopted by the General Assembly, which should reflect the discussion that had taken place at the special meeting.

Mexico: The representative of Mexico underscored the need to highlight the multidimensional nature of migration, as well as its multiple causes and effects. In that connection, he mentioned the need to study migrant expulsion factors as well as attraction factors. He emphasized the importance of respecting human and labor rights, irrespective of migration status, and the need for international cooperation. He mentioned the need to study the relationship between migration and development and between migration and national security. Lastly, he requested that the General Assembly resolution reflects the inputs received during the special meeting.

Costa Rica: The delegate of Costa Rica suggested that, in addition to considering South- North migration, it was also important not to lose sight of the South-South migration variable, which also played an important role in the hemispheric dialogue.

Bahamas: The representative of the Bahamas questioned the panelists about the synergy between migration and security. Professor Sarah Paoletti replied that it was extremely important to separate the (police) bodies responsible for enforcing public security laws from the bodies responsible for enforcing immigration laws. She said that there was a serious danger that migrants – a group that in itself represented one of the poorest and most vulnerable populations, not a threat to national security – would be confused with terrorists and other groups that did constitute a genuine threat. Migrants, in fact, were a group that could help maintain public security if they were allowed to report crimes and abuses and to report suspicious persons to the competent authorities. If the separation between security bodies and immigration bodies was not maintained, migrants would be prevented from cooperating with the authorities in combating crime, abuses, and terrorism, for fear that those same authorities would use their migration status against them. She also said that if migration and public security policies were less humane, that would promote the criminalization of migrants and, in turn, help create a population subject to abuse and exploitation. Professor Janie Chuang added that, with respect to the three “Ps” of trafficking (prosecution, protection, and prevention), states gave priority to prosecution over protection of the victims or prevention of trafficking. She stressed, however, that prosecution could not be successful if it was not accompanied by adequate protection of victims. - 9 -

V. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

The afternoon session began with the panel reserved for participation by international organizations. First, the Chair introduced a written proposal from the Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, who suggested that international cooperation on the subject of migration be based on the “Hague” model. That model emphasized direct cooperation and sharing of best practices, and promoted the implementation of domestic policy on the subject in coordination with international cooperation. Another feature of the model was that it gave priority to prevention through cooperation, employing civil- and administrative-law techniques, in order to reduce the need to resort to criminal punishment. Mr. Van Loon said that, in his opinion, the “Hague model” could be used successfully in the area of international migration, for example, in the area of temporary labor migration, organizing the orderly return and resettlement of migrants, credentialing and regulating intermediaries, promoting the effectiveness of remittances, and other related subjects. In that way, an effective international structure, capable of transcending unilateral approaches to the migration phenomenon, could be established. That, in turn, would help to depoliticize the subject of migration, which could likely be managed successfully from a purely technical perspective.

Berta Fernández, of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), alluded to the difficulties that the dispersal of international norms engendered for the protection of the human rights of migrants; in that connection, the program could help to disseminate information and provide training. She also pointed to the need to implement programs for the proper and comprehensive management of migration in which respect for human rights was an essential component. Like other panelists, she said that while states had certain prerogatives with respect to their sovereignty, that should not impair the human rights of migrants, and that the efforts to combat terrorism should also respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of migrants. She said that the IOM had carried out activities to protect victims of trafficking, such as, inter alia, conducting training on the subject of migration for teachers in Peru, and institutional strengthening in Argentina. Lastly, she said that civil society must play a crucial role in demonstrating that migration was a positive experience, helping to integrate migrants, and combating racism, xenophobia, and other false or negative ideas.

She then gave the floor to Guy Alexandre, also of the IOM, who made special reference to the situation of Haiti. He described the chaotic manner in which migration from that country took place, characterized by the lack of adequate laws and regulations, and by the Haitian state’s weaknesses in dealing with the problem. In that context, he referred to his organization’s efforts and plans for collaborating with the Haitian state, among which he cited efforts to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods, the reintegration of deportees, and so on.

Juan Carlos Murillo, Legal Counselor – Regional Office, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), explained that, while refugees should be placed in a separate category from that of migrants, both should be protected, and human rights should be safeguarded in both cases. He mentioned a document that had been circulated, the 10-Point Plan of Action to Address Mixed Migratory Movements. He also referred to the special treatment that unaccompanied children and victims of trafficking deserved. Among the good practices and actions implemented by UNHCR, he noted, inter alia, the support provided to countries such as Uruguay and Argentina in the preparation of laws to protect refugees, the holding of courses and seminars, and the monitoring of borders, always with a view to identifying those requiring international protection. - 10 -

Jessica Seacor, of the International Labor Organization (ILO), emphasized that workers who were nationals of a country and migrants should be treated equally, and that core human rights applied to all migrants irrespective of their status, along with the broader spectrum of international labor norms. She offered the cooperation and collaboration of ILO in providing various forms of assistance to states in the region on that subject, which was of vital importance to her organization, and mentioned that collaboration programs were being carried out, such as the so-called “Migration Program” between Spain and Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.

VI. INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUMS

The panel on intergovernmental forums began with a presentation by Ambassador Manuel María Cáceres, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Paraguay to the OAS, on behalf of the states members of MERCOSUR, who gave a detailed account of how the subject of migration was addressed in that forum. He referred to the Meeting of MERCOSUR Ministers of the Interior, at which migration issues were discussed in order to proceed with the coordination of common policies and mechanisms to further integration. As a result, notable progress had been made, such as the adoption of binding instruments to facilitate free movement while respecting human rights, on which each country’s domestic migration policy was modeled. At the same time, international cooperation had been strengthened to combat smuggling and trafficking in persons. In that context, he referred to the Asunción Declaration on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, and other relevant instruments. Ambassador Cáceres stressed that the subject of migration should be addressed through an open multilateral dialogue in order to strengthen integration, and that migration policy should be based on respect for human rights. In conclusion, he said that the free movement of persons was linked to the movement of goods and services, so that in order for MERCOSUR to be successful, it must also take that dimension into account.

Sandra Bart, of the Office of the General Counsel of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), addressed the subject from the perspective of the Caribbean region, pointing first to some problems confronting migrants, such as the lack of a fair trial, deportation regardless of the period of residence, trafficking in persons, slavery, etc. She said that programs were needed to protect migrants, and that the phenomenon should be addressed from a global perspective. She took stock of the initiatives that her organization was implementing in the region to protect the rights of migrants, such as a potential treaty that would ensure equal rights, under which a national of a CARICOM country who went to another member state would enjoy the same benefits; other initiatives included legislative reforms, awareness-raising to combat discrimination, education projects, etc. She stressed that laws that continued to discriminate should be abolished, and mentioned the need for statistical studies that could aid in the design and implementation of appropriate public policies. She remarked that international instruments and other human rights norms already existed, but that it was necessary to emphasize public education on the subject. In conclusion, she recalled the importance that was attached to the migration phenomenon in her region.

Luis Monzón, of the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM), shared some of the activities of his organization, a forum for dialogue, exchange, and cooperation on migration issues that involved countries of Central America, North America, and the Dominican Republic. It focused on migration policies, human rights, and development. Noting that it was appropriate to address the - 11 - problem from a regional perspective, he pointed to the consensus mechanism which existed in that forum, whose decisions, although not binding, provided a useful framework for cooperation. He underscored the importance of addressing the phenomenon with the participation of international organizations and civil society. Among the achievements of his organization, he cited the adoption of guidelines for the voluntary return of migrants, information campaigns on trafficking and smuggling, workshops and training sessions, reintegration and shelter projects for victims, the establishment of an assistance and return fund for vulnerable persons, and sponsorship of an initiative to achieve an understanding on repatriation in Central America. In conclusion, the forum had contributed to the existence of effective migration policies in its member countries.

VII. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM: OAS MEMBER STATES

Owing to extreme weather conditions, the panel reserved for participation by member states was limited to only a few delegations, including those of El Salvador and Costa Rica, whose representatives had traveled from their countries. The Chair decided to continue the special meeting on March 1, 2007, with the participation of those states whose presentations could not be taken up at the current meeting.

Uruguay: The representative of Uruguay noted the importance of attention also being given to the reintegration of persons in their countries of origin, and recalled that there was ignorance about countries’ requirements for the delivery of certain services, which could lead to deportations or other migration problems. In that connection, Berta Fernández recalled that in countries such as El Salvador and Honduras, comprehensive assistance programs were being carried out, but that greater institutional coordination and support were needed for them to be successful.

El Salvador: The representative of El Salvador presented the activities carried out by her country in the framework of the Program. She referred first to the establishment of a Vice Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the needs of Salvadorians living abroad. She recalled that her country was a party to the 1990 United Nations Convention and that it had also signed a number of instruments on the subject. She mentioned the establishment of a migrant services center and of a fund for returning Salvadorians. Her country had worked closely with civil society to promote and disseminate knowledge about the human rights of migrants. A national committee had been established to deal with the problem of trafficking in persons. She asked that wider publicity be given to the issue and that institutions be strengthened, such as the shelters that had been established in her country, as well as support programs for migrants who were living abroad illegally. She called for an alignment and harmonization of the various domestic and external migration policies, pointing out that the OAS was an excellent forum for establishing a cooperation mechanism, with the support of civil society and other relevant actors, to ensure adequate protection of migrants’ rights.

Costa Rica: The representative of Costa Rica noted that her country was a major destination for migrants, mostly irregular ones, and that the South-South migration variable should therefore be addressed within the framework of the OAS. Her country recognized and furthered orderly migration, while discouraging disorderly and irregular flows. It was important that migration policies be consistent with human rights and that the laws be flexible, proactive, and fully nondiscriminatory. The laws should also be effective in combating corruption. The migrant population should be included in the wealth-generating apparatus within a framework of legality and respect for rights. She - 12 - further recalled the importance of civil society and other social actors participating in the process. The international community should take steps to achieve orderly and safe migration with respect for rights, by furthering cooperation and development, while at the same time placing the individual at the center of its concerns.

United States: The representative of the United States underscored the importance of the migration phenomenon for the countries of the Hemisphere–the victims of smuggling and trafficking– and called for addressing the factors that gave rise to migration. He also expressed appreciation for the regional collaboration that was taking place in such forums as the Regional Conference on Migration. He then gave the floor to Mr. Josh Trent, Associate Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Trent proceeded to describe the activities of his office, particularly in relation to unaccompanied minors who crossed the border, to whom services were provided while they were under his office’s custody and care. While the migration status of those minors was being resolved, they were transferred to shelters where they received a package of social services, such as classes, medical care, recreational activities, and so on. The objective was to reunite children with their families and to provide them with a proper environment while they were in the US. He said that the children were treated with dignity, decency, and compassion. His office also had a team designed to combat trafficking in persons, which provided support to children who might be victims of trafficking, as well as a pro bono program to help children obtain legal representation.

Argentina: The representative of Argentina referred to legislative developments and progress in cooperation. She mentioned the new law enacted in her country, which guaranteed full respect for human rights at the same time that it established mechanisms regulating migration. That law was committed to principles such as, inter alia, respect for international human rights agreements, the right to migration, the right to equality of treatment, easy routes to regularization of migration, due process guarantees, and criminalization of the offense of trafficking. She also explained that Argentina had implemented programs to regularize migration, such as the “Patria Grande” (Great Homeland) Program, especially for persons from the MERCOSUR region, a process that involved a number of civil society organizations as essential stakeholders and was not simply a short-term government policy. She also mentioned that there were efforts aimed at a prompt ratification of the 1990 United Nations Convention.

Canada: For the last statement, the floor was given to the representative of Canada, who said that discussing policies and programs was easier than negotiating texts. He mentioned that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteed respect for all persons within its national territory regardless of their migration status. His country supported the fight against trafficking in persons and would continue to work with entities like UNHCR in seeking solutions to the problem of refugees. He also indicated that his country would make a financial contribution to assist in the implementation of the Plan of Action of Mexico.

The Chair suspended the meeting and reopened it on March 1, 2007, with the participation of member states that had been unable to take the floor.

Mexico: The Permanent Representative of Mexico first presented a report on considerations relating to support for the Inter-American Program. He said that migration was a phenomenon of concern to all OAS member states, from the perspective of countries of origin as well as that of transit - 13 - and destination countries, and that the human rights of migrants should always be at the center of any discussion of the subject. He also emphasized the importance of international cooperation in ensuring orderly and safe migration, and urged that all member states be called upon to guarantee full respect for the human rights of migrants, regardless of their migration status. With respect to the Program, he said that all states were equally bound to implement its activities and best practices. In that connection, Mexico guaranteed the rights of migrants in the United States by providing consular assistance through its 48 offices in that country. He also mentioned, under the principle of shared responsibility, a joint program with the United States government for shared deportation – a program that guaranteed the rights of individuals and the family unit. He also noted that Mexico had signed agreements with Guatemala and El Salvador on the protection of migrants from those countries that included improvements in repatriation processes, migrants’ rights, and labor guarantees. Moreover, he emphasized the agricultural guest worker program (Migratory Agricultural Guest Worker) that had been in force between Mexico and Guatemala since 1997 and that provided models to be followed in that area. The program was important because, among other characteristics, it did not distinguish between foreigners and nationals in the matter of social security. Moving on to other topics, the Representative of Mexico said that his country’s Supreme Court of Justice had recently handed down a judgment on illegal acts and human rights violations committed by persons who transported undocumented migrants within the country – a major step forward in protecting the human rights of migrants from the judicial standpoint. At the internal level, he emphasized that the Mexican government had made a significant effort to train public officials in dealing with migrants and ensuring that migrants had full access to the justice system. Lastly, he said that Mexico supported and promoted economic plans, programs, projects, and activities designed to reduce the incentives for migration.

Brazil: The Alternate Representative of Brazil, recalling some of the figures mentioned during the special meeting, such as the number of migrants worldwide (300 million), emphasized the problems that a high percentage of those populations faced in obtaining full recognition of their dignity and respect for their rights. In the specific case of Brazil, he said that there was currently an upswing in the number of Brazilians leaving the country, approximately 3 million persons in total. The Brazilian government was taking the necessary steps to deal with the situation created by that migration and to formulate national and regional policies in the matter. He explained that Brazil gave full priority to protecting human rights and combating racism. Moreover, he said that temporary migration could yield positive results, but that there needed to be a national and multinational debate to explore each and every one of them. Migration should be coordinated and its complex causes explored, to better understand the phenomenon and more fully protect the human rights of migrants, and also in order that all international instruments on the subject might be respected. His government’s position did not conflict with the national sovereignty of states, but was designed to reduce human rights violations and avoid massive deportation and the lack of international protection. On another topic, he said that, as a matter of priority, fundamental rights and decent migration and working conditions should be guaranteed to women migrants.

Peru: The Representative of Peru said that the current government was taking steps to improve migration for Peruvians; it had been calculated that 10 percent of the total Peruvian population was currently living abroad and that there were 1 million Peruvians in the United States. One of the strides that had been made for the Peruvian community abroad had been the establishment of consulates where people could vote in other countries and thus exercise their civil and political rights. He also said that there was a bill pending in Congress to allow Peruvians living abroad to vote - 14 - in congressional elections. He further noted the importance that his country attached to protection of migrants, emphasizing that Peru had ratified all international instruments on the subject. He further recalled that in the previous year, with the support of the IOM, his country had hosted a meeting to promote fair migration policies. In conclusion, he said that Peru, like other member states, was committed to further collaboration with the Inter-American Program.

Argentina: In concluding the presentations by member states, the Alternate Representative of Argentina recalled that all countries in the Americas were nations of migrants, and therefore, restrictive policies were damaging to the Hemisphere’s character and history. It was fundamental that respect for the rights of migrants should be guaranteed and specific efforts undertaken to avoid xenophobia, discrimination, and racism. He further emphasized that all persons who were physically in the territory of a country should obtain support for the protection of their human rights and access to justice, health, and labor protection. Explaining that the new migration law specifically embraced those considerations, he mentioned a program called “Patria Grande,” under which nationals of MERCOSUR member countries had the same rights in his country as Argentine nationals, and which allowed citizens of those countries to be nationalized. In a similar vein, he mentioned the reciprocal initiative of the Brazilian government to facilitate regularization of the status of Argentine and Paraguayan migrants. The aforementioned decree also facilitated regularization of the status of Argentine migrants in Paraguay. In conclusion, he recalled the central theme of the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government on the subject of migration, held in Uruguay in 2006, at which countries had been encouraged to adopt the Program and to provide decent treatment to undocumented migrants.

VIII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

To conclude the special meeting on the Inter-American Program for the Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, the Chair gave the floor to Dr. John Wilson, of the Office of International Law, to summarize the most salient conclusions and recommendations of the meeting.

First, Dr. Wilson underscored the presentation of the Secretary General’s Work Plan for the Migrant Program as a far-reaching achievement of the special meeting. He said that in envisaging the necessary components of an inter-American instrument for the protection of the human rights of workers and their families, the member states participating in the Working Group had gone beyond the mere creation of an instrument. It had been agreed that, in addition to the Program as such, two main follow-up components would be incorporated. The first one would consist of the special meetings, at which program implementers would report on their implementation and experts and civil society organizations would propose activities, recommendations, and best practices that might be included in the Program; the second one would be the Secretary General’s Work Plan (presented at the special meeting), a document intended to schedule and ensure the fulfillment and development of the specific activities and best practices that the Program recommended to the various organs, agencies, and entities of the OAS.

Altogether, the Inter-American Program, the special meetings, and the Work Plan formed the components necessary for the protection and monitoring of the human rights of migrant workers, creating a triad of mechanisms that fed back into one another in a continual process of developing, updating, and monitoring the Organization’s efforts in that area. - 15 -

Among the conclusions and recommendations presented by the participants in the special meeting, he underscored the following:

. That it was necessary to call upon all member states to guarantee full respect for the human rights of migrants, regardless of their migration status.

. That cooperation between governments, civil society, and international organizations was necessary at the national, regional, and international levels, including cooperation with UNHCR in refugee matters, with IMO in migration matters, with ILO in labor matters, and with the Hague Conference in civil cooperation matters.

. That it was necessary to conduct studies on the following subjects: determining whether migration was a fundamental human right; eliminating migration’s most negative connotations; the interdependence/relationship between labor rights, migration rights, and human rights; and migrant expulsion/attraction factors.

. That it was very important to educate about (and distinguish between) the concepts of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in international law and to bear in mind, in particular, that in specific cases those concepts could be difficult to distinguish, and that occasionally, trafficking cases could turn into smuggling cases, and vice versa.

. That it was necessary to examine the causes of migration, including migrant expulsion factors, such as poverty, persecution, conflicts, insecurity, discrimination, etc., and migrant attraction factors, such as demand for low-wage labor, etc.

. That there was a need to examine the factors necessary for a temporary migrant worker program or guest worker program and the social consequences that it might entail, such as, inter alia, the creation of two categories of residential status and persons.

. That it was necessary to avoid mixing labor status with migration status in order to promote cooperation and protection of all workers within the legislative framework of member states.

. That it was necessary to ensure that migrants had access to justice and protection when they were victims of crimes and human rights abuses, and to ensure that undocumented workers were not prevented from turning to local officials and police forces for fear that they might act as migration agents.

. That it was necessary to combat corruption as a means of improving the efficiency of national migration policies and increasing human rights protection for migrants.

. That it was necessary for member states to punish abuses by employers in connection with the hiring of migrant workers and abuses against undocumented workers. - 16 -

. That it was necessary for member states to ensure egalitarian treatment and respect national labor laws for all workers, without specific discrimination based on migration status.

. That it was necessary for member states to train their migration officials to distinguish between various categories of persons within migrant flows; in particular, it was necessary to single out and protect refugees and victims of trafficking, as well as migrants (including undocumented migrants) and members of criminal smuggling networks.

. That it was necessary to create mechanisms to assess the implementation by member states of existing human rights, labor rights, and migration laws.

. That it was necessary to take tangible steps to ensure that migrants had access to justice.

. That it was necessary to promote ratification of the United Nations Migrants’ Rights Convention and to promote ratification of the relevant human rights, migration, and labor rights instruments.

. That it was necessary to design and implement public policies to protect the human and labor rights of migrants.

. That it was necessary to conduct campaigns to raise society’s awareness of the migration phenomenon and eliminate stigmas and discrimination against migrants.

. That it was necessary to reduce the economic, political, and social factors that induced people to emigrate, such as poverty, lack of opportunities, and the demand for labor, both in sending and in receiving countries.

. That it was necessary to carry out activities to help reintegrate people in their countries of origin.

The 2007 special meeting on the Inter-American Program for the Protection of the Human Rights of Migrant Workers then concluded, with the contribution of the Secretary General’s Work Plan and a significant number of activities, conclusions, recommendations, and best practices to be included in the text of the Program. In that connection, several representatives of member states also mentioned that the conclusions and recommendations should be included in the resolution to be adopted on the subject by the General Assembly of the OAS.

Having considered that, as a whole, those contributions represented major strides in the development of the Inter-American Program and highlighted the path to be followed in its implementation over the following year, the Chair proceeded to close the special meeting, thanking the participants, the states, and the General Secretariat. - 17 -

ANNEX I

PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE OEA/Ser.G ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES CP/CAJP-2455/07 9 February 2007 COMMITTEE ON JURIDICAL AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS Original: Spanish

PROGRAM

SPECIAL MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, INCLUDING MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES [AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06)]

Washington, D.C. Simón Bolívar Room February 13, 2007 - 18 -

PROGRAM

SPECIAL MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, INCLUDING MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES [AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06)]

Washington, D.C. Simón Bolívar Room February 13, 2007

General Assembly resolution AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06), “The Human Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families,” requires that the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, pursuant to the Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, Including Migrant Workers and Their Families, hold a meeting with the participation of government experts and representatives of the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, other international organizations, and civil society, for the purpose of sharing best practices and activities carried out last year in support of the Program, as well as new proposals that might be incorporated into the text of the Program.

9:30 a.m. OPENING SESSION

The opening session will cover the institutional importance of the subject of protection of the human rights of migrant workers and their families, presentation of the Secretary General’s Work Plan, and the background to and structure of the annual meetings on the migrant program.

. Osmar V. Chohfi Permanent Representative of Brazil to the OAS Chair of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs

. José Miguel Insulza Secretary General Organization of American States

. Freddy Gutiérrez Special Rapporteur on Migrant Workers Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

. John M. Wilson Legal Advisor – Office of International Law Department of International Legal Affairs - 19 -

10:00 a.m. EXPERTS, ACADEMICS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS

The panel of academics and civil society representatives will make valuable comments on the human rights of migrants and will present recommendations and best practices in the area of migration that can be incorporated into the Program.

. Sarah Paoletti Clinical Supervisor Transnational Legal Clinic University of Pennsylvania Law School

. Susan Martin Executive Director Institute for the Study of International Migration Georgetown University

. Sidney Weintraub Director – Americas Program Center for Strategic and International Studies

. Janie Chuang Professor – American University Washington College of Law

. Sarnata Reynolds Director – Refugee Program Amensty International USA

. Dialogue with Civil Society

. Dialogue with Member States

11:45 p.m. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM: ORGANS, AGENCIES, AND ENTITIES OF THE OAS

The OAS entities associated with the program on migrants have presented their written reports, which are included in the Work Plan presented by the Secretary General. During this panel discussion, some entities will present their corresponding oral reports, while others, pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06), will present their reports during future meetings of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs.

. Francisco Pilloti Department of Social Development and Employment Executive Secretariat for Integral Development - 20 -

. Freddy Gutiérrez Special Rapporteur on Migrant Workers Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

. Taryn Lesser Researcher/ Resident at OAS Human Rights Internet

. Dialogue with Member States

12:30 p.m. BREAK

2:00 p.m. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

The panel of international organizations will consider activities carried out concerning protection of the human rights of migrants and will present reports on recommendations made in the Inter-American Program that can be incorporated into the Program.

. Hans van Loon Secretary General Hague Conference on Private International Law (presentation only in writting)

. Berta Fernandez Program Officer International Organization for Migration (IOM)

. Juan Carlos Murillo Legal Counselor – Regional Office Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

. Jessica E. Seacor Director Asistente – Washington Office Organización Internacional del Trabajo

. Dialogue with Member States

3:00 p.m. INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUMS

The panel of intergovernmental forums will consider their experiences regarding protection of the human rights of migrants and possible recommendations and best practices that can be incorporated into the Program. - 21 -

. Sandra Bart Legal Officer – Office of the General Counsel Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

. Luis E. Monzón Coordinator – Technical Secretariat Regional Conference on Migration (RCM)

. Dialogue with Member States

3:45 p.m. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM: OAS MEMBER STATES

The panel of member states will discuss their contributions to the suggested activities of the Inter-American Program and best practices used in support of the Program’s recommendations. Presentations will be made on specific activities being considered by member states for implementation during the next 12 months.

. Government experts from Member States

5:00 p.m. CLOSING SESSION

. Preliminary report of the meeting: conclusions and recommendations

. Closing remarks by Ambassador Osmar V. Chohfi, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the OAS, Chair of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs - 22 -

ANNEX II

CONSEJO PERMANENTE DE LA OEA/Ser.G ORGANIZACIÓN DE LOS ESTADOS AMERICANOS CP/CAJP/INF-38/07 12 febrero 2007 COMISIÓN DE ASUNTOS JURÍDICOS Y POLÍTICOS Original: textual

PRESENTACIONES Y CONTRIBUCIONES EN LA SESIÓN ESPECIAL SOBRE LA IMPLEMENTACIÓN DEL PROGRAMA INTERAMERICANO PARA LA PROMOCIÓN Y PROTECCIÓN DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS DE LOS MIGRANTES, INCLUIDOS LOS TRABAJADORES MIGRATORIOS Y SUS FAMILIAS [AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06)]

Washington, D.C. Salón Libertador Simón Bolívar 13 de febrero de 2007

PRESENTATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE SPECIAL SESSION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE INTERAMERICAN PROGRAM ABOUT PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS FROM MIGRANTS, INCLUDED MIGRANTS WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES [AG/RES. 2224 (XXXXVI-06)]

Washington D.C. Room Libertador Simón Bolívar February 13th, 2007 - 23 -

Presentaciones y Contribuciones en la Sesión Especial sobre la Implementación del Programa Interamericano para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes, incluidos los Trabajadores Migratorios y sus Familias [AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06)]

Washington, D.C. Salón Libertador Simón Bolívar 13 de febrero de 2007

John M. Wilson – Oficina de Derecho Internacional

Conclusiones y Recomendaciones: Primera Sesión Especial sobre el Programa Interamericano para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes, Incluyendo los Trabajadores Migrantes y sus Familias

El presente documento describe los antecedentes del Programa Interamericano para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes, Incluyendo los Trabajadores Migrantes y sus Familias, así como a las Conclusiones y Recomendaciones, tanto generales como específicas, a las que se llegaron durante la primer sesión especial sobre el Programa Interamericano, realizada el 16 de marzo de 2006.

Antecedentes:

El Programa Interamericano abarca la intersección que existe entre los derechos humanos y los derecho laborales de los migrantes. En este contexto, el Programa intenta diseñar prácticas y actividades que apoyen a estas poblaciones vulnerables al hacer valer estos dos tipos de derechos frente a actores privados y gubernamentales.

La promoción y protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes ha sido una constante preocupación del proceso de las Cumbres de las Américas, donde, desde la Primera Cumbre se comprometió a garantizar la protección de los derechos humanos de todos los trabajadores migrantes y de sus familias. Estos objetivos para la materialización de estos derechos surgieron durante la Segunda y Tercera Cumbres, en donde los Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno encomendaron la creación, dentro del marco de la OEA, de un Programa Interamericano para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes, incluyendo los Trabajadores Migrantes y sus Familias.

En el plan de acción de la tercera cumbre se estableció que dicho Programa se elaboraría tomando en cuenta las actividades de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, un documento de instrumento vinculante preparado por la CIDH, y apoyando la labor encomendada al Relator Especial sobre Trabajadores Migrantes de la CIDH y de la Relatora Especial para las Migraciones de las Naciones Unidas. - 24 -

En la Cumbre Extraordinaria de Monterrey se destacó la importancia de la cooperación entre los países de origen, tránsito y destino para asegurar la plena protección de los derechos humanos de todos los migrantes y en la Cuarta Cumbre de las Américas se reafirmó el compromiso adquirido de fomentar el apoyo al Programa Interamericano para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes. Así mismo, reiteraron la importancia de la plena implementación de la Convención Internacional sobre la Protección de los Derechos Humanos de todos los Trabajadores Migrantes y de sus Familias e instaron a incrementar la cooperación y el diálogo interamericano en materia migratoria.

La Asamblea General de la Organización de los Estados Americanos por medio de sus resoluciones AG/RES. 1928 (XXXIII-O/03) y AG/RES. 2027 (XXXIV-O/04) encomendó al Consejo Permanente la elaboración del Programa Interamericano partiendo del proyecto presentado por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, así como otras propuestas de los Estados Miembros, los organismos especializados y otras entidades. A estos efectos, se creo un Grupo de Trabajo de la Comisión de Asuntos Jurídicos y Políticos para examinar las propuestas de la CIDH y otras presentadas por los estados y elaborar el texto del Programa Interamericano.

Durante las labores del Grupo de Trabajo, los Estados Miembros concluyeron que los instrumentos y convenciones existentes sobre el tema de migración eran suficientes y que las labores de la OEA en materia de protección de los derechos humanos de los trabajadores migrantes serían mejor servidas por medio de la creación de un Programa “viviente” conformado, no de disposiciones jurídicas difíciles de consensuar, sino de actividades concretas y mejores prácticas que darían a los actores estatales y privados una guía, en primer lugar, de conductas avocadas a asegurar la protección y cumplimiento de los derechos humanos y laborales de los migrantes, y, en segundo lugar, de actividades específicas en las cuales se emplearían dichas mejores prácticas.

Habiendo recibido consenso en la elaboración de un Programa conformado de mejores prácticas y actividades a los estados, a los órganos, organismos y entidades de la OEA, a organizaciones internacionales, y a la sociedad civil, los estados miembros incluyeron un capítulo sobre el seguimiento del Programa para asegurar efectivamente que este sea un documento “viviente” y adaptable – un instrumento en constante evolución, cambiando de manera tal que no quede en letra muerta o desuso, tanto en las actividades que este encomienda a las distintas entidades de la OEA, sino también a los estados.

La Asamblea General, una vez concluida la elaboración del Programa, aprobó la resolución AG/RES. 2141 (XXXV-O/05) en su trigésimo quinto período ordinario de sesiones en junio de 2005, y como primer tarea respectiva a las acciones de seguimiento del Programa, encomendó al Consejo Permanente que convocara Sesiones Especiales anuales de la Comisión de Asuntos Jurídicos y Políticos, con la participación de expertos gubernamentales, representantes de los órganos, organismos y entidades del sistema interamericano, de otras organizaciones internacionales y de la sociedad civil, con el propósito de poder intercambiar mejores prácticas y actividades llevadas a cabo durante el pasado año en apoyo del Programa, así como nuevas propuestas que puedan incorporarse al mismo. En efecto, la sesión del día de hoy viene directamente de este mandato y como actividad constante para asegurar la constante evaluación y evolución del Programa Interamericano. - 25 -

Asimismo, como segunda tarea de seguimiento, el Programa encargó al Secretario General la elaboración de un Plan de Trabajo para asegurar el cumplimiento y evolución de las más de 33 actividades específicas y mejores practicas que este encomienda a los distintos órganos, organismos y entidades de la OEA. Sobre este particular, ya hemos visto la presentación del Plan de Trabajo del día de hoy, contenido en el documento CP/CAJP-2456/07, que organiza y calendariza dichas actividades.

Objetivos del Programa:

Esta iniciativa de crear un Programa para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos de las Personas Migrantes obedece la inquietud de los Estados de la región por tomar medidas concretas para garantizar la protección y el bienestar de las personas migrantes. Con el objetivo de contribuir a mejorar la situación de estas personas, el programa concentra en algunos de los puntos donde la vulnerabilidad de estas personas es más extrema. Entre éstos es posible mencionar los siguientes: garantías judiciales y protección judicial; discriminación, racismo y xenofobia; libertad personal y derechos laborales. A través de la indicación de actividades específicas destinadas a las autoridades pertinentes, miembros de la sociedad civil y personas migrantes, el programa aspira a fomentar mejores prácticas que repercutan de manera concreta en garantizar la protección y el bienestar de esta población.

Los objetivos principales del Programa Interamericano elaborado en este proceso son la promoción y la protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes mediante el desarrollo de acciones de cooperación y mejores prácticas, mediante la integración de acciones concretas en las labores de los órganos, organismos, y entidades de la OEA, y mediante la vinculación de estas actividades con los avances en los Estados Miembros, organizaciones multilaterales y de la sociedad civil.

El Programa también establece una serie de objetivos específicos para la protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes. Estos abarcan desde el intercambio de mejores prácticas y cooperación entre países de origen, tránsito y destino, hasta la atención a las necesidades especiales de grupos vulnerables de migrantes (tales como niños y niñas, mujeres, indígenas, etc.).

En su texto, el Programa encomienda 33 actividades específicas destinadas a la protección de los derechos humanos de migrantes en las diversas áreas de la Secretaría General de la OEA. Entre otras, éstas incluyen el estudio y difusión la legislación migratorias nacionales, el intercambio de información y asistencia técnica en materia de derechos humanos con órganos estatales y funcionarios públicos, el desarrollo de programas dirigidos a proteger las mujeres y niños migrantes, el estudio de la participación política de los migrantes, y el intercambio de mejores prácticas entre los distintos actores de este Programa.

Asimismo, el Programa encomienda casi 70 actividades a los Estados Miembros y otros Actores del Programa. Estas incluyen firmar, ratificar o adherir a los instrumentos universales e interamericanos de derechos humanos y derechos de los migrantes, revisar su legislación para que sea congruente con la obligación de respetar los derechos humanos de los migrantes, capacitar a sus funcionarios públicos que desempeñan funciones relacionadas con la migración sobre el marco jurídico migratorio y la protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes, etc. - 26 -

Seguimiento del Programa:

El Programa establece el seguimiento de su implementación por medio de un informe anual de las diferentes áreas de la Secretaría General y los Estados Miembros ante la CAJP sobre las acciones del Programa que han cumplido en el transcurso de cada año. Estos informes han sido incorporados al Plan de Trabajo del Secretario General, mencionado anteriormente, y calendarizadas conforme dicho Plan para el año próximo.

Por otro lado, el Programa requiere de una Sesión Especial anual para intercambiar mejores prácticas, información y nuevas propuestas que puedan incorporarse al mismo. A dichos efectos, la Comisión de Asuntos Jurídicos y Políticos llevo acabo una Sesión Especial el 16 de marzo de 2006, para intercambiar mejores prácticas, información y nuevas propuestas a incorporarse al Programa y que puedan producir recomendaciones sobre el tema de migrantes que se eleven a las Cumbres de las Américas.

De esta primer Sesión Especial destacaron las siguientes Conclusiones y Recomendaciones.

Conclusiones Generales:

. En primer lugar se concluyó resaltar la preocupación de los estados miembros respecto la protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes, y se destaco el compromiso total y contundente por parte de todos los estados miembros, y Órganos, Organismos y Entidades de la OEA, para con el Programa Interamericano para la Protección de los Derechos Humanos de los Trabajadores Migrantes y Sus Familias.

. Se concluyó agradecer los avances importantes y las actividades que han adelantado las diferentes entidades de la OEA sobre los temas relacionados con los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes.

. Se recomendó examinar la necesidad de separar la implementación de leyes migratorias de la implementación de la leyes laborales, asegurando que aquellas no impidan la aplicación de las protecciones de los trabajadores.

. Se recomendó examinar, y en su caso reiterar, los principios internacionales de los Derechos Humanos que prohíben la discriminación en base al status de inmigrante, resaltando que si bien los Estados tienen el derecho de decidir en que condiciones admiten la entrada en su territorio a un extranjero, una vez que un trabajador se incorpora a una relación laboral en el mismo, el trabajador adquiere derechos que deben ser respetados y garantizados sin importar su situación de migración.

. De concluyó además que los movimientos migratorios en América, al igual que a lo largo y ancho de la historia de la humanidad, se pueden entender en su totalidad solamente entendiendo que la migración esta en la naturaleza misma de las personas. Por lo tanto, es necesario que la Organización de los Estados Americanos y sus Estados Miembros dediquen especial énfasis respecto las condiciones de los trabajadores migrantes, destacando su calidad humana y des-enfatizando su calidad migratoria, resaltando así que la OEA no solo no puede - 27 -

permanecer indiferente a este fenómeno y a la protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes, sino que es que debe jugar un papel de liderazgo en dichos esfuerzos.

Conclusiones Específicas:

. Se recomendó buscar maneras de reducir el costo de la remesas, incluyendo la posibilidad de seguir el ejemplo de Colombia y otros países en la eliminación de impuestos sobre las remesas, y reducción de costos de envío, administrativos y de intermediación.

. Se recomendó buscar maneras de capacitar a los funcionarios públicos en materia de migrantes.

. Se recomendó investigar la forma de asegurar de que los migrantes tengan acceso a la educación en un ambiente libre de discriminación y se concluyó que la educación es derecho de todo niño y niña sin importar su condición migratoria o su idioma natal.

. Se recomendó buscar maneras de difundir información sobre los medios legales para la migración y los peligros relacionados con el tráfico ilícito de migrantes y la trata de personas.

. Se concluyó apoyar los foros regionales y subregionales que tratan el tema de migración, tales como la Conferencia Sudamericana de Migración, la Conferencia Regional de Migración (o Proceso Puebla), la OCAM.

. Se recomendó destacar la importancia de la reinserción de migrantes a su retorno al país de origen por medio de programas de capacitación y la creación de oportunidades económicas y laborales en los países de origen.

. Se recomendó la capacitación a los funcionarios de frontera y migración para la identificación de migrantes y refugiados dentro de los flujos migratorios mixtos.

. Se recomendó que la calidad migratoria de un trabajador nunca puede o debe ser un punto cuesti0nado en caso de una reclamación.

. Se recomendó adelantar investigaciones sobre la migración femenina y su impacto en la estructura familiar, así como investigaciones sobre los aspectos de género en el mercado laboral y el control migratorio, así como la necesidad de desarrollar políticas dirigidas a proteger a las mujeres migrantes y sus familias.

. Se recomendó la necesidad de incorporar al Programa de Migrantes dentro de la Conferencia Interamericana de Ministros de Trabajo, quienes consideran a los trabajadores migrantes como uno de los grupos que merecen especial atención dentro de sus actividades.

. Se recomendó buscar manera de asegurar los derechos electorales de los migrantes, incluyendo su voto en el exterior, la sistematización de las experiencias de voto electrónico en las Américas y promover el fortalecimiento de los procesos de identificación y registro electoral de ciudadanos en el exterior. - 28 -

. Se recomendó buscar medidas para asegurar el derecho a la salud (de conformidad con el Protocolo de San Salvador, artículo 10 y el Pacto Internacional de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales, artículo 12), especialmente con derecho de los trabajadores migrantes al acceso a bienes, medicamentos esenciales, servicios y tecnologías en salud y a la seguridad e higiene en el trabajo.

. Se recomendó continuar con la tarea de recopilar y difundir la legislación, políticas y requisitos migratorios de los Estados Miembros.

. Se recomendó seguir recopilando y difundiendo la información sobre la implementación del Programa Interamericano, así como de la legislación y tramites migratorios, en la página de internet de la Oficina de Derecho Internacional del Departamento de Asuntos Jurídicos Internacionales.

. Se recomendó buscar maneras de facilitar el acceso a la información pública por parte de los migrantes, tanto respecto los derechos y tramites de ciudadanía, como a sus derecho humanos y laborales.

. Se recomendó buscar maneras de asegurar no mezclar condiciones laborales con condiciones migratorias para promover cooperación y protección de todos los trabajadores dentro del marco normativo de los países miembros.

. Se recomendó buscar maneras de asegurar la no discriminación de trabajadores migrantes, especialmente con respecto a la seguridad e higiene en el trabajo, a un salario mínimo digno y legal, horas laborales conforme el marco normativo local y la compensación por horas extra, así como los derechos de salud, compensaciones por accidentes y el derecho a la libertad de asociación.

. Se recomendó buscar maneras de asegurar que los migrantes tengan acceso a la justicia y protección en caso de ser victimas de crímenes y abusos de derechos humanos y asegurar de que trabajadores indocumentados no se vean imposibilitados de recurrir a oficiales y cuerpos de policías locales por temor de que estos actúen como agentes de migración federal.

. Se recomendó que se incorpore dentro del Programa Interamericano la manera de evaluar las mejores practicas que muestren los estados en cumpliendo de los principios de equidad y de no discriminación midiendo su desempeño en las áreas importantes mencionados en este resumen.

En efecto, esta labor para la protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes se visualiza como un triangulo viviente, donde los tres puntos del mismo – (1) el Programa Interamericano, (2) las Sesiones Especiales de la CAJP, y (3) el Plan de Trabajo del Secretario General – se retroalimentan en una constante evolución de actualización de, y seguimiento a, las actividades concretas destinada a los Estados Miembros, a los órganos organismos y entidades de la OEA, y demás actores del Programa Interamericano: - 29 -

Programa Interamericano

Plan de Trabajo Sesiones Especiales del Secretario General de la CAJP - 30 -

Sarah Paoletti – University of Pennsylvania Law School / Rebecca Smith – National Employment Law Project

I. INTRODUCTION

The Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, Including Migrant Workers and their Families, deserves to be commended for its focus in taking a rights-based approach to addressing the challenges presented by global migration. As this Program develops and moves forward, it will be critical to recognize the central role of labor and employment rights of all migrant workers, regardless of their migration status, in guaranteeing the fundamental human rights of migrants. There is a clear need for more effective enforcement of labor and employment rights to eliminate exploitation of migrant workers – exploitation which, when permitted, has a negative impact not only on the rights of the migrants themselves, but on all workers, as well as on the communities in which they live and from which they come.

This submission seeks to provide some affirmative proposals for ensuring that migrant workers are not exploited, highlight the strengths of the pending Draft Resolutions currently pending as part of the work of the Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, Including Migrant Workers and their Families, and raise some areas of concern for consideration.

II. SOURCES OF RIGHTS FOR MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families provides a valuable enunciation of specific rights that should be afforded to all migrant workers, and is careful to do so in a framework that balances the sovereign right of all States to regulate the entry of non-citizens with their obligations to respect the human rights and dignity of all persons, recognizing special rights that shall be accorded certain categories of migrants. As such, it serves as a useful reference point for work within the Americas aimed towards achieving the same goal – respect for the human rights of all migrant workers and their families. Clearly, any resolution pending before this Committee, must address – as the Draft resolutions currently do – encouragement for all States to consider ratification of this important Convention, and to undertake steps aimed towards the recognition of all rights enunciated therein.

Because no major receiving State of migrants has ratified the Convention, however, it is important also to look to other sources of rights that are binding on all member States of the OAS in developing a comprehensive set of principles underlying migration programs and policies.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ Advisory Opinion on the Juridical Condition and Rights of Undocumented Migrants (Opinión Consultiva 18)1 issued on September 17, 2003, provides a clear statement of the rights to be afforded to all migrant workers, regardless of migration status. The Court clearly identified the principle of equality and non-discrimination as a jus cogens

1 . The Legal Status and Rights of Undocumented Migrants, September 17, 2003, available at http://www.corteidh.or.cr/serie_a_ing/serie_a_18_ing.doc. - 31 - norm resulting in affirmative obligations of all States to guarantee an expansive set of labor rights for all migrant workers, authorized and unauthorized alike.2

OC-18 is a clear articulation of pre-existing obligations on all OAS member states under Article 2 of the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, Articles 2 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,3 and Articles 24 and 25 of the American Convention on Human Rights vis-à-vis migrant workers. Its importance in the protection of the human rights of all migrants has been recognized in the observations and recommendations of the annual report from the Inter-American Court, approved by the OAS General Assembly on June 8, 2004,4 and has also been recognized by the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights in resolution 2005/47.5 OC-18 merits similar recognition and an explicit endorsement in the

2 . In the case of migrant workers, there are certain rights that assume a fundamental importance and yet are frequently violated, such as: the prohibition of obligatory or forced labor; the prohibition and abolition of child labor; special care for women workers, and the rights corresponding to: freedom of association and to organize and join a trade union, collective negotiation, fair wages for work performed, social security, judicial and administrative guarantees, a working day of reasonable length with adequate working conditions (safety and health), rest and compensation. The safeguard of these rights for migrants has great importance based on the principle of the inalienable nature of such rights, which all workers possess, irrespective of their migratory status, and also the fundamental principle of human dignity embodied in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration, according to which “[a]ll human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” 3 . CCPR General Comment No. 15: The Position of Aliens Under the Covenant provides guidance on the application specifically of Article 2 of the ICCPR, stating “Aliens shall be equal before the courts and tribunals, and shall be entitled to a fair and public hearing in the determination of … rights and obligations in a suit of law…. Aliens are entitled to equal protection by the law. There shall be no discrimination between aliens and citizens in the application of these rights.” Para. 2, General Comment No. 15. Similarly, the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights has enumerated on the rights of non-citizens under the CERD, in its General Recommendation No. 30: Discrimination Against Non-Citizens. The Recommendation calls upon States to “Ensure that legislative guarantees against racial discrimination apply to non-citizens regardless of their immigration status, and that the implementation legislation does not have a discriminatory effect on non-citizens.” Para. 7. The OHCHR further calls upon States to “Remove obstacles that prevent the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by non-citizens, notably in the areas of education, housing, employment and health,” Para. 29, and with regard to employment more specifically, “Take measures to eliminate discrimination against non-citizens in relation to working conditions and work requirements, including employment rules and practices with discriminatory purposes or effects; Take effective measures to prevent and redress the serious problems commonly faced by non-citizen workers, in particular by non-citizen domestic workers, including debt bondage, passport retention, illegal confinement, rape and physical assault; Recognize that, while States parties may refuse to offer jobs to non-citizens without a work permit, all individuals are entitled to the enjoyment of labour and employment rights, including the freedom of assembly and association, once an employment relationship has been initialed until it is terminated.” Paras. 33-35. 4 . OAS General Assembly, OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS (June 8, 2004), AG/RES. 2043 (XXXIV-O/04), http://www.oas.org/xxxivga/english/docs_approved/agres2043_04.asp. These rights mirror those enumerated in the UN Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and their Families. 5 . Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations, Human Rights of Migrants, April 19 2005, http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/E/CHR/resolutions/E-CN_4-RES-2005- - 32 - final Resolution agreed upon by this Committee regarding the Human Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families.

III. GENERAL COMMENTS VIS-À-VIS PENDING RESOLUTIONS

With regard, specifically, to the most recent draft Resolution submitted by the delegation of the United States in January 2007, while it is within every State’s sovereign right to regulate immigration, that sovereign right must be balanced against a State’s obligations under international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international refugee law, as recognized in the earlier draft resolution submitted by the delegation of Mexico in May 2006. As such, while it is within the authority of member States to regulate the entry and stay of non-citizens, and to determine the status of migrants, States’ authority to determine the “effect of that status” vis-à-vis certain legal rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights, are constrained by the principle of equality and non-discrimination – as discussed in OC-18.

Furthermore, in a resolution drafted for the protection of the human rights of all migrant workers and their families, we would urge this Committee to focus on those rights, rather than to confuse a rights-based approach with the rhetoric surrounding the political debate on immigration in receiving countries, and avoid language that pits migrants against other low-income families and individuals. 6 Not only are these statements counter-productive in trying to develop a cooperative approach towards the recognition of the human rights of migrants, they are not supported by the evidence. A recent report by the National Employment Law Project provides information on numerous studies and judicial opinions finding that the presence of immigrant workers (both documented and undocumented) has little to no effect on the low-skilled and lower-paid workers.7 Rather than focusing on the migrants, greater attention needs to be given to equal and strenuous enforcement of existing labor and employment laws under domestic legislation, as well as international labor rights standards.

47.doc. 6 . Specifically, we urge the delegation from the United States to remove the following language added in its January 2007 Draft Resolution: “CONSIDERING:…the necessary efforts made by some transit and receiving countries to balance both the needs of migrants and those of the receiving or local community, including the needs of persons already residing in countries who may be vulnerable to the impacts of migration, such as low-income families and individuals, and persons living in regions, or working in economic sectors with high proportions of migrants; … CONCERNED … that immigration not be permitted to undermine opportunities for member States’ poor, young and vulnerable residents to improve their working conditions and wages; … RECOGNIZING that undocumented migrants live in the shadows of society. Many use forged documents to get jobs, and that makes it difficult for employers to verify that the workers they hire are documented. Undocumented migration puts pressure on public schools and hospitals, it strains state and local budgets, and brings crime to communities. These are real problems.” (Emphasis added). 7 . More Harm than Good: Responding to States’ Misguided Efforts to Regulate Immigration, National Employment Law Project (Feb. 2007), pp. 5-8, available at http://www.immigrant- nonstandard.org/index.php. - 33 -

IV. BEST PRACTICES TO ENSURE THE RIGHTS OF ALL MIGRANT WORKERS

The Inter-American Program and the OAS Member States have rightly paid attention to the global problem of trafficking, and the need to both investigate and prosecute parties responsible for the trafficking of humans, as well as to provide protection and assistance to the victims of trafficking. In order to fully redress trafficking, however, it is not enough to focus on crimes that rise to the level of trafficking alone, but also to address smuggling of migrants and the crimes that are committed upon migrants in the course of their being smuggled, as well as the environment of abuse and exploitation that can exist in all workforces predominated by migrants. Without investigating and addressing the underlying causes that allow for trafficking to occur and create an environment permissive of abuse of varying degrees of severity, migrant workers will remain vulnerable to the same harms as those who are abused by their smugglers or fall prey to trafficking. The prosecution traffickers and the criminalization of smuggling must be undertaken in conjunction with enforcement of all labor and employment rights of all migrants.

This presentation seeks simply to highlight several best practices that can be undertaken by States to ensure the protection of rights of all migrant workers, and can by extension all workers, citizen and non-citizen alike. Many of these practices were outlined in greater detail in our submission for last year’s Special Meeting, with attention given specifically to both good and bad practices arising out the United States’ treatment of unauthorized migrants. Below we seek to extract basic principles that arise out of those experiences that can have application throughout the Americas.

1. Sanctions for Abusive Employers

Rather than focusing on worksite enforcement aimed towards identifying and removing all migrants in an irregular status, resources should be devoted to sanctioning abusive employers. This means more emphasis on enforcement of workplace violations, with meaningful penalty structures, adequate enforcement personnel, and more focus on industries that are known violators of wage and hour laws (such as construction, domestic work, home health care, hotel and restaurant, and childcare workers), so that all workers receive the wages they are entitled to under current law. In addition to wage and hour violations, meaningful enforcement on health and safety in the workplace requires emphasis on targeted sector-specific enforcement (such as agriculture, food processing and construction), higher penalties for employers who put their worker health and safety at risk, and strong anti-retaliation protections for those who refuse unsafe work.

Furthermore, companies should not be allowed to evade legal responsibility by contracting it away to labor brokers (a problem that is prevalent with the migrant labor pool), or by misclassifying workers as “independent contractors” who may not be covered by various wage and hour provisions.

2. Ensure Equal Rights and Remedies for All Workers Regardless of Migration Status

In keeping with the principle of equality and non-discrimination, as provided for in the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, the American Convention, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all workers, regardless of migration status, state parties cannot discriminate against migrants, regardless of their immigration status, in the affordance of rights and benefits under the law. While a State may distinguish among authorized and unauthorized workers with respect to who may legally work – as part of a State’s sovereign right to - 34 - govern migration – once a migrant is employed, a State party must ensure that migrant is not discriminated against. This applies in the area of citizenship discrimination (in addition to race, national origin, ethnicity and gender-based discrimination), social security or pension benefits, and all other labor and employment laws.

Not only must States work to ensure that workers are not discriminated against in the actual text of the laws designed to protect workplace rights, States must also take affirmative steps to ensure that all workers, regardless of their migration status, have equal access to all remedies available under the law. Rights without a remedy are meaningless. And individuals without legal representation are often denied both rights and remedies, as the judicial system remains inaccessible to those without legal representation, in addition to interpreters and translators to assist in their communication. Failure to ensure equal rights and equal access to equal remedies to all workers, both in a regular and irregular status, not only violates the principle of equality and non-discrimination, it also undermines the efficacy of the labor, employment and health and safety laws as applied to all workers.

3. Confidentiality and (non) Cooperation Policies of Administrative Enforcement Agencies

Worker advocates in the US believe that the only way to adequately enforce labor rights of all workers is to establish a clear “firewall” between labor enforcement and immigration enforcement; that is, to make it clear that a workers’ immigration status is never a subject of questioning in a labor dispute. In an attempt to ensure that “firewall” is in place, they have developed a number of tools within the court and administrative systems. In general, the policies represent a step forward in protecting migrant workers’ access to remedies for violation of labor rights. To be truly meaningful, however, a specific policy that governs the rights of all workers in all situations should be developed. Such a policy should clearly delineate the distinct responsibilities of the federal agency charged with enforcement of immigration laws, and those agencies charged with enforcement of labor and employment laws, including health and safety laws.

Direct workplace enforcement against undocumented workers at their place of employment, the misuse by employers of government information stating that a workers’ Social Security Number in the United States, for example, does not match government records, and the series of databases that are being used and developed to cross-match employee information in a wide variety of contexts, work against efforts to ensure the workplace rights of all workers. A system of focusing immigration enforcement in the workplace creates confusion among immigrant workers with respect to whether or not they can expect confidentiality if they have a complaint for violation of labor rights, and trust state and federal agencies whose purpose it is to ensure employers’ compliance with all labor laws.

4. Protections From Disclosure of Immigration Status in Formal Legal Proceedings

In the United States, when formal legal claims are filed in court, both parties are allowed to ask a broad range of questions, and ask for a broad range of documents, from the other party in a process called “discovery.” The subject matter of discovery covers anything relevant to a claim or defense, or anything that might become relevant. Attorneys representing employers in claims brought by migrants are increasingly using the discovery process to inquire into a plaintiff’s immigration status, ostensibly to obtain information that is allegedly relevant to the damages claimed. These measures clearly serve to intimidate the plaintiff into dropping the charges altogether, due to fear of - 35 - retaliation and potential immigration consequences. They also have a chilling effect on workers who are forced to endure a range of abusive workplace conditions, because they fear that if they complain, they and/or their colleagues will be deported. The result is that in a legal system that relies on individuals to step forward as the enforcer of labor and employment law violations, unscrupulous employers can wield their workers’ fear as a shield towards liability. - 36 -

Susan Martin – Georgetown University

Promoting the Rights of International Migrants

The legal and normative framework on international migration includes binding international law as well as non-legally binding best practices and principles. Certain international instruments affecting management of migration have been widely ratified (for example, 145 States have ratified the 1951 Convention and/or the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees). Others have entered into force with relatively few parties (for example, only 27 States, all principally source countries of migration, have ratified the UN Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families).

Existing international law provides useful contributions to a normative and legal framework regarding:

 The powers and responsibilities of individual States to manage movements of people across their borders,  The rights and responsibilities of international migrants, and  State cooperation in managing international movements of people.

Nevertheless, the gaps in international law and norms remain, particularly related to migration for family and economic reasons.

States possess broad authority to regulate the movement of foreign nationals across their borders. Although these authorities are not absolute, States exercise their sovereign powers to determine who will be admitted and for what period. In support of these powers, States enact law and regulations to govern issuance passports, admissions, exclusion and removal of aliens, and border security. States vary in the types of laws and regulations adopted, with some being more restrictive than others are, but all States adopt rules that govern entry into and exit from their territories.

The authority of States is limited by certain rights accorded foreign nationals in international law. Non-nationals enjoy all of the unalienable rights applicable in international law. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) defines such basic rights of all persons as: the right to life, liberty and security; the right not to be held in slavery or servitude; the right not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the right not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile; the right to marry and to found a family. Additional rights are conveyed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

More specifically related to movements of people across international borders are provisions granting rights in the Convention Regarding the Status of Refugees, the Convention against Torture, the Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children - 37 - and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, both of which supplement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.

In the Americas, the American Convention on Human Rights provides a right to human treatment (Article 5), a right to seek and be granted asylum (Article 22), a right to equal protection (Article 24), and a right to judicial protection (Article 25) that applies to non-nationals. The Inter- American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court on Human Rights were established pursuant to the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) monitors the status of the human rights of migrants through its own Special Rapporteur on Migrant Workers and their Families.

Most of the international conventions and protocols have been ratified by a wide range of States, but the Migrant Rights Convention has been ratified by only 34 States. No major destination country of international migrants is among its State parties although such States as Mexico, which is source, transit and destination country, have become parties to the Convention. The obstacles are both practical and political.

On the practical side, the MWC is extensive and complex, raising technical questions as well as financial obligations on State parties.8 For example, Article 65 of the Convention requires States Parties “to maintain appropriate services to deal with questions concerning international migration of workers and members of their families. Their functions shall include, inter alia:

a. The formulation and implementation of policies regarding such migration; b. An exchange of information, consultation and co-operation with the competent authorities of other States Parties involved in such migration; c. The provision of appropriate information, particularly to employers, workers and their organizations on policies, laws and regulations relating to migration and employment, on agreements concluded with other States concerning migration and on other relevant matters; d. The provision of information and appropriate assistance to migrant workers and members of their families regarding requisite authorizations and formalities and arrangements for departure, travel, arrival, stay, remunerated activities, exit and return, as well as on conditions of work and life in the State of employment and on customs, currency, tax and other relevant laws and regulations.

Further, although almost all States have some emigration and immigration, States with relatively low levels of migration may see no particular reasons to ratify the Convention.

On the political level, the Convention raises basic questions about State sovereignty, particularly regarding the capacity of States to deter irregular migration. Even though the Convention requires States Parties to cooperate in curbing irregular migration and returning those without authorization to remain in a destination State, many receiving countries are concerned that the rights granted to irregular migrants will hinder their ability to control such movements. Some States are concerned that specifying the rights of irregular migrants will serve as a magnet, drawing them to their territory. A Dutch government paper on the Convention explains the reluctance of the

8 . R. Cholewinski, Migrant Workers in International Human Rights Law: Their Protection in Countries of Employment, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997, pp. 199-200. - 38 -

Netherlands to ratify: “The granting of certain social and economic rights on the part of the state is considered to be more of an encouragement for illegal residence and employment than a deterrent.”9

Even with regard to documented migrants, “the Convention’s central concept of non- discrimination interferes with explorations of other forms of temporary immigration in which this principle would not be fully abided by.”10 In effect, States often see a trade-off between the number of migrants admitted and the generosity of rights bestowed upon them. Providing rights equivalent to nationals, particularly when such rights entail financial obligations on the part of receiving States, may severely limit the number of migrants to be admitted. Otherwise, States fear, there will be a public backlash against migrants who are perceived as being costly to taxpayers. Even when there is little factual basis to such charges, and migrants can be seen to be contributing to the economy, publics may perceive migrants to be competitors for limited jobs and resources.

Some States see no need to ratify the Convention, arguing that other human rights instruments already provide protection of the most fundamental rights outlined in the Migrant Rights Convention. Or, they argue, national laws provide adequate protection. Other States, however, see the MRC as promoting rights not specified elsewhere and not necessarily in their national interest. The Dutch paper discussed above holds that the MRC “contains a number of new provisions that were not previously included in broadly ratified treaties.11 In particular, the Dutch paper argues, the Convention grants a right to family reunification not only to legally resident migrants but also to illegally resident ones.12

Advocacy at the national and local levels appears to be the most likely inducement to State ratification or, in its absence, greater protections for migrant rights. To the extent that there is a vocal and well-organised constituency in support of migrant rights, States are more likely to overcome their concerns about the Convention. States may also re-think ratification if the provisions in the Convention relating to inter-state cooperation in combating irregular migration can be operationalized into concrete actions. States may be more willing to extend rights to migrants if they believe they are able to effectively control who and how many persons migrate.

Policies and programs at the national level can be effective ways to protect the rights of migrants. The better-informed workers are prior to migrating, the better able they are to assert their rights. Access to language training courses in destination countries will also help migrant workers to learn of and assert their rights when employers or family members violate them. Monitoring recruitment agencies and employers is essential to the protection of migrant workers. When abuses occur, legal representation for migrant workers can help them fight against discrimination, sexual harassment, lost wages and other violations of their labour rights. Programmes that provide shelter and social services to migrant workers who have experienced abuse are essential to protecting their rights. Migrant workers who decide to return home after escaping abusive conditions may also need assistance in repatriation and reintegration. Consular protection can play an important role in

9 . Government of the Netherlands, “The UN International Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families of 1991,” prepared for the Global Commission on International Migration, January 2005, p. 3. 10 . Linda S. Bosniak, State Sovereignty, Human Rights and the New U.N. Migrant Workers Convention, 86 American Society for International Law, Proc. 623 (1992) 11 . Government of the Netherlands, 2005 12 . Ibid. - 39 - ensuring that migrant workers do not face abusive situations. Consular officers can monitor the security of migrant workers in potentially vulnerable positions, using their diplomatic positions to engage the host country in interceding in favour of the migrant worker.

A weak but growing body of international law and effective practices focus on international cooperation in managing international migration, including protection of migrant rights. The Trafficking and Smuggling Protocols set out specific areas in which State Parties agree to cooperate with each other. The protocols emphasize information exchange, training, public information and other joint efforts to prevent smuggling and trafficking. Implicit in this model is the recognition that unilateral actions on the parts of States will be ineffective in addressing transnational problems that affect all countries.

The 1951 UN Refugee Convention and regional agreements on refugees promote international cooperation as a way to share responsibility for assisting, protecting and finding solutions for persons who cannot rely on their own governments. Again, implicit in this approach is the need for international cooperation to address a phenomenon that is beyond the capacity of any one country. The forms of international cooperation include the sharing of financial resources and the potential movement of refugees and others in need of protection from one country to another. A key role is assigned to the United Nations, particularly the UNHCR, not only in protecting the rights of the refugees but also promoting cooperation among States.

Weak institutional arrangements make international cooperation in promoting the rights of migrants all the more difficult to achieve and retard the development of effective legal and normative frameworks. To date, much of the consensus building has taken place through ad hoc, informal mechanisms such as the Berne Initiative, at the international level, and the various consultative mechanisms established at the regional level, including the Regional Migration Conference in the Americas.

Moving from the current arrangements to a more robust international regime may be premature, however. While there has been progress in setting out common understandings, there continue to be fundamental disagreements among States as to causes and consequences of international migration and the extent to which it is in the interests of States to liberalize or restrict flows of migrants. This situation contrasts sharply with the general consensus that governs movements of goods, capital and services–that it is in the ultimate interest of all States to lessen barriers to the movements of these factors.

Yet, there is growing consensus that a well-regulated and more comprehensive framework for managing international migration would be in the best interest of both States and migrants. There is no inherent conflict between policies that protect State interests and security and those that protect the rights of migrants. In fact, to be sustainable, international migration laws and policies must address a wide range of issues, including but not limited to the following:

 Legal channels for migration of persons seeking work opportunities in other countries;  Protection of the rights of migrants and their families, including persons who have been smuggled or trafficked;  Protection of refugees and durable solutions to refugee problems;  Prevention of human smuggling and human trafficking and protection of survivors; and - 40 -

 Return, readmission and reintegration of persons who do not have, or no longer have, authorization to remain in a destination country. - 41 -

Janie Chuang – Washington College of Law – American University

Trafficking versus Migrant Smuggling

Legal Definition of “Trafficking in Persons”

“… the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purposes of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, Article 3(a).

Legal Definition of “Smuggling of Migrants”

“… the procurement, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit, of the illegal entry of a person into a State Party of which the person is not a national or a permanent resident.”

Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, Article 3(a).

Trafficking Migrant Smuggling • Coercion required (any initial consent • Migrant consents to the smuggling is nullified by coercive, deceptive, or abusive actions of traffickers) • Involves ongoing exploitation of • Ends with migrants’ arrival at their victims (post-arrival) to generate illicit destination profits for traffickers • Movement can be international or • Movement is always transnational intra-national • Afforded victim status under • Not afforded victim status under international law international law - 42 -

Sarnata Reynolds – Amnesty Internacional – Refugee Program

PROTECTING REFUGEES THROUGH THE RECOGNITION OF MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS

The Refugee Program of Amnesty International USA would like to thank the Organization of American States for the invitation to share with you some observations and proposals in support of the Inter-American Program for the promotion and protection of the human rights of migrants, and refugees as a sub-set of that population.

Amnesty International is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that was founded in 1961. It is a worldwide movement of almost 2 million members, with more than 350,000 throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.

My presentation has three parts. First, I would like to explain Amnesty International’s position on the rights of migrants and refugees. Second, I would like to provide some recommendations for how the Organization of American States and its partners may take a more meaningful role in developing and protecting the rights of refugees specifically, and migrants more generally. Finally, I would like to point out eight key steps in furtherance of all migrants’ human rights.

1. Amnesty International’s Position on Migrants’ Rights

Every day people make decisions to leave their homes, communities and countries. Some leave because they are afraid - afraid for their lives, and for the lives of their children and loved ones. Others leave because their social or economic situation has compelled them to do so.

The promise of a better standard of living for their families pushes many people into irregular migration, if legal avenues are not available to them. Every year thousands die while trying to reach other countries.

Amnesty International is concerned about the human rights of all migrants. AI looks at the "life- cycle" of migration: the decision to leave the country of origin; the migratory journey, including time spent in countries of transit; arrival and stay in the country of destination; and possible return back to the country of origin. Through this life-cycle, AI focuses on the situations during which migrants are most vulnerable to abuse, and on those individuals or groups of individuals most at risk – including refugees, irregular, or undocumented migrants, migrant children and migrant women.

Migrants are sometimes characterized by politicians and the media as criminals, economic burdens, security threats and even a risk to public health. The reality is, however, that many economies have come to rely on migrants who are prepared to work in degrading and dangerous jobs with little security and low wages. - 43 -

This unrecognized, unappreciated, and undervalued workforce now drives a significant part of the global economy. A migrant worker is increasingly viewed as a commodity or a unit of labor, a "temporary service provider" who can be shuttled around the world at will. This attitude lacks any recognition of a migrant worker’s human rights.

2. Developing and Protecting the Rights of Refugees and Migrants

In the year 2006, many OAS member states took significant steps to develop national and regional approaches toward educating immigration officials on migrant issues and providing avenues to protect refugees at and within their borders.

Still, much work must be completed to ensure that refugees are identified and provided with the assistance they require to begin the process of healing and integration in their host countries. Moreover, countries must ensure that migrants flowing in are provided with opportunities to gain legal status and avoid exploitation, and that those being deported are afforded a fair hearing prior to their departure.

If apprehended at the United States border, for instance, migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, are often detained and denied the ability to communicate with family, friends or legal counsel before their expedited removal.13 In theory, migrants who fear return to their home countries are provided with the opportunity to state a claim for protection, but in reality this is often not the case.14

While OAS member states have the authority to determine how best to monitor and secure their borders, migrants should not be shuffled back and forth in a demeaning, and sometimes dehumanizing, fashion.

Similarly, determining how to best monitor and control the movement of migrants while preserving their rights under international law should not be lost in a larger, and different, discussion of national security issues.

For example, through swift passage of anti-terrorism laws in the United States, victims of terrorist organizations and armed militias are labeled material supporters of terrorism, and therefore found ineligible for protection, precisely because they were targeted, tortured and enslaved by the very groups the United States is attempting to exclude.

Having been forced to provide support—no matter how minimal -- does not exempt a person from being found ineligible to enter the United States as a refugee or asylum seeker. As a result, many Colombians forced at the threat of torture or death to provide money to armed militias are

13 . In conformity with Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, asylum seekers, in particular, should not be detained unless they pose a threat to the country of entry. Detention should be used as a last resort generally and member states should look at alternatives to the detention of migrants, including supervised release whenever possible.

14 . See Report on Asylum Seekers in Expedited Removal, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, February 8, 2005; Expedited Removal Study Report Card: 2 Years Later, February 8, 2007. - 44 - identified as material supporters of terrorism and denied the opportunity to resettle in the United States.

Denying protection to refugees and asylum seekers because they were victimized by terrorist organizations does not advance our shared values and violates our obligations under international law.

At the heart of Amnesty International’s agenda for migrants’ rights is a call to treat all migrants with full respect for their human rights and human dignity. Strategies are needed to counter the misinformation, prejudice and fear that all too often characterize discussion of migration issues amongst decision-makers and the general public. Raising public awareness on the basis of well- informed and balanced arguments is a vital part of the human rights agenda on migrants’ rights. A successful campaign also requires coalitions to be built with migrants and their communities, non- governmental organizations, and others working to protect and promote migrants’ rights.

3. Eight Key Priorities

Amnesty International calls on the OAS and its partners to concentrate on eight key priority areas when promoting all migrants’ rights:

1. Call for migration policies that protect human rights.

2. Focus on those migrants most at risk – refugees, irregular migrants, migrant women and migrant children.

3. Call for more research and better data on the movement of people and the particular obstacles they face when crossing borders for protection, work and other reasons.

4. Call for ratification and implementation of core human rights and labor rights treaties, in particular the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (the Migrant Workers’ Convention).

5. Demand greater accountability of state and non-state actors at international, regional and national levels.

6. Place migrants and their communities at the centre of debates on migration; recognize and ensure their role in formulating and implementing strategies to protect their rights.

7. Protect human rights defenders working to protect and promote the human rights of migrants.

8. Increase public awareness of migrants’ rights and migrants’ positive contributions to society. - 45 -

Victoria Napky – Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos

PERSONAS MIGRANTES: UNA MIRADA REGIONAL CON ENFOQUE DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DESDE EL IIDH

Planteamiento del fenómeno de las migraciones

El fenómeno de las personas migrantes, en todas sus manifestaciones probables (refugiados, desplazados, indocumentados, asilados, etc), no es una manifestación reciente ni exclusiva de nuestros tiempos y, mucho menos, de fácil solución a corto o mediano plazo. Al contrario, si las proyecciones a futuro hechas por los expertos suceden en la forma prevista, no hay duda de que será el desafío mayor a enfrentar por todas las naciones del mundo, junto con otros problemas como el de la contaminación del medio ambiente, la marginación y la pobreza.

Como nos lo recuerda el Informe presentado en el V Congreso de la FIO por la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos de México, la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Población y Desarrollo (El Cairo, Egipto, 1994) y la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Asentamientos Humanos (Estambul, Turquía, 1996), fueron importantes oportunidades en las cuales la comunidad internacional abordó este tema, aún cuando fuera en forma tangencial. En ambos foros se reconoció el valor de la inmigración al tiempo que se reconoció el derecho de los Estados a formular e instrumentar sus propias políticas migratorias.

En el ámbito de la OEA, el tema no ha estado ausente, tal y como lo resalta la resolución de la Asamblea General AG/RES 2130 (XXXV-O/05), aprobada en la cuarta sesión plenaria del 7 de junio de 2005 (“Los Derechos Humanos de todos los Trabajadores Migratorios y sus Familias”), y un trabajo sostenido desde el “Programa Interamericano para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes, incluyendo los Trabajadores Migrantes y sus Familias”. Opiniones consultivas de la Corte Interamericana también han reforzado el enfoque de protección15, además del trabajo realizado por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos desde su relatoría especial sobre el tema.

El tema reviste un interés prioritario debido a que el proceso de globalización ha desnudado esa realidad que ya conocíamos, pero que quizás, convenientemente, muchos países la enfocaban como un problema de una vía: la supuesta desventaja de los países receptores de migrantes (en adelante, “países receptores”), a partir de premisas no necesariamente ciertas o atribuibles a ese fenómeno: desplazamiento de mano de obra local, congestionamiento y deterioro de los servicios sociales, aumento de la delincuencia e inseguridad ciudadana, desmejoramiento de la educación y

15 . Corte IDH. El Derecho a la Información sobre la Asistencia Consular en el Marco de las Garantías del Debido Proceso Legal. Opinión Consultiva OC-16/99 del 1 de octubre de 1999. Serie A. No. 16; y Corte IDH. Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados. Opinión Consultiva OC-18/03 del 17 de septiembre de 2003. Serie A. No. 18. - 46 - pérdida de valores, empeoramiento de la situación económica, saturación de la administración de justicia; solo para citar algunos ejemplos.

Ya el laureado novelista norteamericano Richard Steinbeck, desde los años treinta del siglo anterior, en su obra “Las Uvas de la Ira”, retrataba el problema de los migrantes, pero desde la otra visión: la de la vida de los migrantes mexicanos en los campos agrícolas en los Estados Unidos de América. A setenta años de ello, la situación no ha variado para mejorar, sino para empeorar. Ahora no es exclusiva de mexicanos ni de latinoamericanos.

El estigma del fenómeno migrante debe cambiar. Ya nadie puede negar que el flujo migratorio es una opción necesaria, tanto para países originarios como receptores. Muchos países desarrollados centroeuropeos, así como Canadá, Estados Unidos de Norteamérica y el país- continente Australia, pero especialmente estos dos últimos, se perfilan como las regiones de mayor captación de población migrante, porque también la requieren. El proceso de envejecimiento de la población de esos países ha activado la alarma de la sostenibilidad generacional, de modo que el déficit de población joven laboralmente activa que pueda mantener los regímenes jubilatorios, así como los requerimientos de mano de obra para mantener los niveles productivos en aumento constante, no es autosuficiente. Se requiere, entonces, del flujo migratorio para satisfacer ese faltante. El problema será, para estos países, cómo obtener el migrante que ellos requieren y qué perfil y grado de educación y especialización necesitan. Porque el fenómeno de los migrantes ha estado siempre acompañado de componentes de intolerancia, racismo y xenofobia. Por lo demás, la demanda por el migrante de baja escolaridad para la realización de trabajos de poca especialización para tareas de construcción, recolección de cosechas, oficios domésticos, etc., se mantendrá como una constante.

El hecho de que en este foro de la OEA se trate esta temática, nos llena de una gran satisfacción, especialmente, porque el tema debe ser incorporado con marcado interés en todas las agendas nacionales como política de Estado y no como política de Gobierno. Solo desde su sostenibilidad dependerá una solución verdaderamente integral.

En el Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos, tratamos el tema de las personas migrantes desde una perspectiva de derechos humanos y, con ello, la claridad de que, si hay un grupo vulnerable, ajeno incluso al derecho humano fundamental de petición o acceso a la justicia - pilar necesario para reclamar violaciones de otros de sus derechos humanos-, ese es el de los migrantes, especialmente, el de las personas indocumentadas. Si a ello le agregamos a ese colectivo condiciones de género y de etnia, no hay duda de son las mujeres indígenas migrantes las personas más afectadas con el fenómeno migrante. De ahí que en el IIDH también hemos trabajado en tema desde la sociedad civil con especial énfasis en mujeres y personas indígenas.

El reto es grande, máxime cuando tomamos conciencia de que el fenómeno migrante ha sido aprovechado económicamente, tanto por los países originarios que ven una incidencia directa en el aumento de sus balanzas comerciales por efectos de remesas del exterior, como por los países receptores que se benefician de mano de obra barata y especializada sin haber hecho inversión social previa para obtenerla; aumento de liquidez como consecuencia de más consumidores con capacidad de compra y, por ende, ampliación de los mercados de producción interna, mejores precios de productos de exportación por la mano de obra barata al margen de cargas sociales legales, etc. - 47 -

Lo anterior demuestra que este no es un fenómeno a resolver solo por los países originarios o solo por los países receptores. Como todo, dependerá de ese imponderable llamado voluntad política de la que todos los Estados se valen para cumplir o no con esos retos que trascienden los simples actos de gobierno.

Mientras sigan existiendo diferencias de mercado en razón de “ventajas” comparativas en los factores de producción entre los países –situación que no tiende a variar- tendremos a la par siempre, como fenómeno económico, social y cultural, la migración. Eso se mantendrá con globalización o sin ella, con tratados de libre comercio o sin ellos. Por lo tanto, no queda otra salida que generar propuestas eficaces de promoción y protección de los derechos humanos de ese sector poblacional, tanto desde el ámbito interno como del internacional. En lo que respecta a los refugiados y desplazados, las variables del conflicto armado interno se han trasferido de unas regiones a otras dentro del Continente, lo que hace que el problema se mantenga con connotaciones y especificidades preocupantes.

Como quiera que se vea, corresponde hacer frente al desafío de la población pobre de nuestra región que abandona o debe abandonar su país para, desafortunadamente, seguir siendo más pobre en otro. Y no solo es más pobre, sino desarraigada de su familia, cultura y costumbre, discriminada racialmente y víctima del flagelo de la xenofobia y la intolerancia. Como si fuera poco, están siempre en riesgo de deportaciones forzadas con violación a sus derechos humanos y no participan de políticas de reinserción social en su país de origen, donde vuelven a ser marginados por sus propios nacionales.

Una consideración tipológica necesaria

Es prudente realizar algunas delimitaciones conceptuales sobre el tema migratorio, para poder comprender integralmente el fenómeno.

Así, REFUGIADO se refiere a “cualquier persona que debido a fundados temores de ser perseguida por motivos de raza, religión, nacionalidad, pertenencia a determinado grupo social y/u opiniones políticas, se encuentre fuera del país de su nacionalidad y no pueda o, a causa de dichos temores, no quiera acogerse a la protección de tal país; o que careciendo de nacionalidad y hallándose, a consecuencia de tales acontecimientos fuera del país donde antes tuviera su residencia habitual, no pueda o, a causa de dichos temores, no quiera regresar a él.” (Convención sobre el Estatuto de los Refugiados de la ONU de 1951). La anterior definición se amplía durante el Coloquio de Cartagena (1984), cuya Declaración ampliada trata de caracterizar el refugio centroamericano de ese entonces, incluyendo en la categoría de refugiado a “toda persona o personas que han huido de sus países porque su vida, seguridad o libertad han sido amenazadas por la violencia generalizada, la agresión extranjera, los conflictos internos, la violación masiva de los derechos humanos u otras circunstancias que hayan perturbado el orden público.” (Declaración de Cartagena de 1984).

ASILO: institución jurídica en virtud de la cual se protege a individuos cuya vida y libertad se encuentran amenazadas o en peligro, por actos de persecución o violencia derivados de acciones u omisiones de un Estado. - 48 -

El fenómeno migrante vis a vis globalización

El factor generador del fenómeno migrante se ha visto afectado sensiblemente como consecuencia de la globalización. En los últimos años se han desencadenado muchas discusiones y propuestas sobre las condiciones que generan el problema, así como las soluciones posibles a implementar.

El debate actual sobre el problema migratorio debe enmarcarse necesariamente en el análisis del creciente proceso de globalización que experimenta la economía mundial. Este proceso ha derivado en una profundización de los desequilibrios mundiales, con diferencias entre los países cada vez más abismales.

Para decirlo en palabras del anterior Presidente de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Juez Antonio Cancado Trindade, el fenómeno contemporáneo del desarraigo es efecto de “un mundo globalizado... [en el que] se abren las fronteras a los capitales, inversiones, bienes y servicios, pero no necesariamente a los seres humanos. Se concentran las riquezas cada vez más en manos de pocos, al mismo tiempo en que lamentablemente aumentan, de forma creciente (y estadísticamente comprobada), los marginados y excluidos. Las lecciones del pasado parecen olvidadas, los sufrimientos de generaciones anteriores parecen haber sido en vano”.16

La globalización, que bien la deberíamos entender como una suerte de “mundialización” de la economía, ha desencadenado discursos y protestas de amplia oposición en todo el mundo. Lo cierto es que al margen de ese debate, en lo que al problema migratorio respecta, se ha dado una polarización de riqueza que incide directamente e influye en la decisión de las personas para abandonar su país en cualquier forma posible para buscar una supuesta mejor calidad de vida, aún cuando el desarraigo y el desmembramiento familiar son constantes generadores de problemas sociales de consecuencias irreversibles.

La globalización, se dice, permitirá la movilidad de los factores de producción y especialización internacional, lo que acarrearía el despunte hacia el crecimiento, lo cual no podrá ser si no se eliminan barreras arancelarias y no arancelarias que permitan el libre flujo de bienes y servicios. Es aquí donde la propuesta se vuelve inconsistente, puesto que no hay voluntad para liberar también el factor trabajo y más bien se rechaza la movilidad de trabajadores mediante la instauración de medidas anti-inmigratorias de corto plazo.

Hay algunas propuestas que tratan de atender ese fenómeno, dentro de la cuales sobresale la realizada por la Comisión para el Estudio de la Migración Internacional y el Desarrollo Económico Cooperativo compuesta por miembros de los partidos demócrata y republicano de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica para examinar los factores que impulsaban la inmigración, especialmente la indocumentada, hacia ese país desde otros países del hemisferio occidental. Esa Comisión, tomando en consideración muchas consultas en el exterior y valiosas investigaciones académicas, llegó a dos conclusiones fundamentales: una –nada novedosa por cierto- que la razón principal de ese tipo de inmigración es la búsqueda de mejores oportunidades económicas, y la otra, que el desarrollo y el

16 . Resolución de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos del 18 de agosto de 2000. Medidas provisionales solicitadas por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos respecto de la República Dominicana. Voto Concurrente del juez A.A. Cançado Trindade, n.3. - 49 - acceso a nuevos y mejores empleos en los lugares de origen es la única forma de reducir gradualmente las presiones migratorias. Para ello recomendó ciertas medidas con alcance a mediano y largo plazo, y aún cuando muchas de ellas son cuestionables, lo cierto es que tienden a buscar cierto balance frente a una globalización rampante que siempre va a beneficiar a los países más desarrollados económica y tecnológicamente.

Algunas de las medidas de esa Comisión se plasmaron en la suscripción del Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Canadá, Estados Unidos y México (NAFTA) y su aplicación y posibles efectos, se supone, incidirían directamente en la disminución de presiones migratorias, 17 especialmente por la emigración de mexicanos de zonas rurales a centros industriales más populosos.

Sin embargo, la puesta en marcha del NAFTA no ha conducido necesariamente a esos resultados, ya que la brecha salarial entre los dos países no se podrá cerrar del todo a pesar de ese tratado. Pero quizás el punto más complejo es la vinculación de las normas laborales con el comercio, especialmente por la no completa instrumentación de controles para asegurar su cumplimiento efectivo. Mientras ello no ocurra, no se podrá equiparar esas normas laborales entre los países para permitir una disminución de los factores que promuevan la migración ilegal a partir de la explotación de mano de obra inmigrante. En otras palabras, esa explotación laboral seguirá sirviendo como acicate para la expulsión de migrantes en el país expulsor y para el recibimiento de ilegales en el país receptor.

La situación migratoria en la región americana y los patrones migratorios

Dentro del mapa migratorio mundial, el continente americano, especialmente Latinoamérica, ha tenido un papel importante a destacar. El ser parte de una región en desarrollo, con la salvedad de Estados Unidos y Canadá, ha implicado que haya flujos migratorios entre los países de una subregión a otra, variando el destino de los países receptores según se vayan modificando circunstancias coyunturales relacionadas con conflictos armados internos o por condiciones de marginación y pobreza, lo que ha provocado también, un fenómeno de desplazados internos dentro de los mismos países.

La situación de que una persona tenga que verse obligada a abandonar su lugar de residencia, así como su trabajo, ya sea para trasladarse fuera de las fronteras o internamente, desencadena una serie de violaciones de derechos humanos independientemente de que se ubique al migrante dentro de cualquiera de las categorías de refugiado, asilado o desplazado. Además de ese desarraigo, si le agregamos la estigmatización de que son objeto por prácticas racistas y xenófobas en el país receptor, el cuadro de proyecto de vida –si es que se puede hablar de eso- es verdaderamente patético. La exacerbación de hostilidad contra ese sector de la población, ya sea por sentimientos nacionalistas o por simple percepción de que ese tipo de migrante resulta problemático, aumentan el panorama negativo y lo convierten en prácticamente apátrida.

En ese contexto, los principales focos del fenómeno migrante en América podríamos clasificarlos de la siguiente manera:

1. Desplazados internos en cada uno de los países.

17 . CORNELIUS, Wayne y MARTÍN, P., The uncertain connection: Free trade and rural Mexican migration to the United States. IMR, Vol. XXVII, No. 3. 1999, pág. 485. - 50 -

2. Inmigración de todos los países latinoamericanos hacia Canadá y Estados Unidos. 3. Inmigración de centroamericanos y sudamericanos hacia Estados Unidos utilizando México como puente o quedándose en éste. 4. Inmigración dentro de los países centroamericanos. 5. Inmigración entre países suramericanos. 6. Inmigración de personas latinoamericanas hacia países europeos, especialmente a España.

A partir de los años cincuenta del siglo XX, fue generalizado el fenómeno de la migración interna de las zonas rurales hacia las ciudades con miras a obtener una mejor situación económica, lo cual tuvo un impacto económico y social de magnitudes ya conocidas por todos. Ese tipo de migración, que podríamos decir, voluntaria en unos casos o impulsada por las circunstancias en otros, debemos diferenciarla del fenómeno de desplazamiento interior, donde un gran número de personas se ven desarraigadas forzosamente de su propio medio, aún cuando se encuentren dentro de las mismas fronteras nacionales.

Ello como consecuencia de que estos grupos de personas se encuentran, de un momento a otro, en la línea de fuego entre las fuerzas de la guerrilla y de las fuerzas gubernamentales que se enfrentan por razones ideológicas, por posesión de tierras y recursos naturales o por problemas sumamente complejos donde convergen, además, guerrilla, militares, paramilitares y grupos económicos vinculados con el narcotráfico.

Al ser estas personas desplazadas por el mismo tipo de violencia que califica a las personas refugiadas, es que debería de considerárseles como tales por motivos de carácter humanitario en los términos de la Convención de 1951.

El fenómeno intrarregional

La heterogeneidad económica y social de los países latinoamericanos y del Caribe, así como la vecindad geográfica y la proximidad cultural, hacen que las corrientes migratorias dentro de la región busquen, preferentemente, aquellos países cuyas estructuras productivas sean más favorables en términos de empleo. A ello hay que agregar la galopante crisis económica y las contingencias sociopolíticas.18

Los orígenes y destinos durante 1990 indicaban que casi dos tercios de los latinoamericanos que residían en países de la región, distintos al de nacimiento, se concentraban en Argentina y Venezuela. Argentina ha sido el destino tradicional de numerosos contingentes de paraguayos, chilenos, bolivianos y uruguayos, mientras que la bonanza petrolera venezolana atrajo, desde 1970, a colombianos y otros nacionales de otros países del cono sur.19 Ese flujo migratorio disminuyó en la década de los ochenta, pero aumentó el número de personas procedentes de otros países

18 . Cfr. PELLEGRINO, A. Migrantes latinoamericanos: síntesis histórica y tendencias recientes. Universidad de la Republica-CEPAL-CELADE, mimeografiado. Montevideo, 2000. 19 . VILLA Miguel y MARTINEZ PIZARRO, Jorge. Tendencias y patrones de la migración internacional en América Latina y el Caribe. En: Simposio sobre migración internacional en las Américas, OIM-CEPAL. San José, Costa Rica, 4-6 de septiembre de 2000. P. 1.1.7. - 51 - latinoamericanos, mientras que se apreciaba un factor novedoso de retorno de paraguayos a su país y Chile se convirtió en un importante país receptor de migrantes de otros países latinoamericanos.20

Mientras tanto, la subregión centroamericana presentaba un panorama muy particular debido a las consecuencias socio-políticas agravadas por los conflictos armados internos, lo que generó una inmigración importante de salvadoreños y nicaragüenses hacia Costa Rica entre los años setenta y ochenta; mismo periodo en que México se convertía en receptor fundamental de inmigrantes de todo el istmo, pero especialmente, de guatemaltecos y salvadoreños.

Colombia merece un trato diferenciado, puesto que durante los noventa, los censos de otros países latinoamericanos mostraron que, más de seiscientos mil colombianos estaban empadronados en esos territorios; la mayoría en Venezuela.21

Por su parte, los países del Caribe mantienen un flujo constante de migrantes entre ellos mismos producto del dinamismo del sector turístico, siendo la población migrante predominantemente de Granada, Guyana y San Vicente y las Granadinas y, los países receptores, Trinidad y Tobago, Islas Vírgenes y Barbados.22

La migración extrarregional

A pesar de opciones alternas como Australia, algunos países europeos y asiáticos, el destino mayoritario de inmigrantes latinoamericanos y del Caribe sigue siendo Estados Unidos de América y, en menor medida, Canadá. Por ello se habla de migración sur-norte. Esta situación, que no es novedosa, sí refleja un punto de preocupación en cuanto a la cantidad de ese flujo migratorio: alrededor del 43% del total de la población extranjera censada en Estados Unidos en 1990, correspondiente más de la mitad a personas procedentes de México; una cuarta parte al Caribe (Cuba, Jamaica y Republica Dominicana, principalmente) y la otra cuarta parte se divide entre centroamericanos y sudamericanos por partes iguales.23

Según Villa y Martínez, citando información de la Encuesta Continua de Población de los Estados Unidos, el número de inmigrantes de origen latinoamericano y caribeño ascendió a 13.1 millones de personas en 1997; es decir, más de la mitad del total de inmigrantes, lo que refleja que la región es expulsora neta de población, especialmente en los casos de El Salvador, Guatemala y Nicaragua.24

Otros datos emanados de la Encuesta Mundial Económica y Social 2004 de la División de Población del Departamento de Asuntos Económicos de las Naciones Unidas, a la que se hace referencia en el Centro de Noticias ONU (noviembre, 2004), hacen referencia a la situación

20 . Ibidem. 21 . Ibid. P. 1.1.8. 22 . MILLS, F. Population and housing census of the Commonwealth Caribbean. Regional monograph, intraregional and extra regional mobility, the new Caribbean migration. Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Community, 1997. 23 . SCHMIDLEY D. Y GIBSON, C. Profile of the foreign-born population in the United States: 1997, U.S. Census Bureau. Current Population Reports, series P23-195, Washington D.C. (WWW.census.gov). 24 . Op. cit. p. 1.1.10. - 52 - migratoria mundial que no es ajena a la situación latinoamericana o bien, a la que esta región esa parte importante como zona originaria:

- Uno de cada 35 habitantes del mundo vive fuera de su país de origen, lo que está generando importantes cambios en la economía, las finanzas y en la configuración demográfica. La citada Encuesta destaca también que la emigración de las últimas décadas se ha dirigido a países desarrollados. Asimismo señala que desde los años 60 se ha más que duplicado el número de inmigrantes. Ha pasado de unos 70 millones a unos 175 millones en el año 2000.

El informe revela que uno de cada cuatro emigrantes internacionales ha escogido como país de destino Estados Unidos. En algunas naciones los inmigrantes representan el 10 por ciento o más de la población.

Según los autores, las migraciones no contribuyen “de manera apreciable” a deprimir los salarios ni a crear una competencia desleal con los trabajadores de los países receptores, pero hay tanto temor que ha aumentado el número de países que ha adoptado políticas restrictivas del 7 por ciento en 1976 al 34 por ciento en 2003.

El estudio destaca que, por el contrario, los inmigrantes aumentan la demanda de bienes y servicios y contribuyen al producto nacional bruto. Por otra parte, a través de las remesas a sus países de origen, producen un nuevo fenómeno, la creación de capital, muy claramente descrito para el continente latinoamericano.

Dentro de ese panorama, hay factores que deseamos remarcar:

1. El aumento del número de mujeres migrantes ha afectado el fenómeno de la migración. De manera creciente muchas mujeres han empezado a migrar siguiendo a sus esposos, hijos o por su cuenta, muchas veces huyendo de la falta de oportunidades o por la violencia doméstica o intrafamiliar. Ellas representan hoy en día el 47.5% de los migrantes del mundo.

2. El desarrollo de comunidades migrantes ejercen un efecto de imán, que por canales informales diseminan la información como las reglas de inmigración, mercado de trabajo y vivienda, entre otros. De esta forma incentivan a que un mayor número de personas migren. En este sentido, merece destacarse el hecho que estas comunidades también desarrollan estrategias de sobrevivencia mezclándose con los habitantes del país de origen y produciendo un intercambio cultural enriquecedor.

3. Finalmente las catástrofes naturales como terremotos, sequías y huracanes incrementan el número de personas migrantes. El caso del huracán Mitch en 1998 hizo que miles de centroamericanos migraran hacia México, Canadá y Estados Unidos. - 53 -

En el caso de América Latina, y específicamente en la región centroamericana, (Morales Gamboa, Abelardo25) se ha señalado:

El análisis de los fenómenos vinculados a la migración en todas sus formas, y los demás movimientos de la población, en la región centroamericana, requiere de un tratamiento que los comprenda como una expresión de procesos económicos, sociales y políticos, enmarcados en sociedades cruzadas por desigualdades ancestrales, y regímenes políticos cerrados…En la región, las migraciones no se han producido como un éxodo emancipador, sino que han adquirido los rasgos de una fuga poblacional donde imperan cada vez más condiciones de mayor precariedad.

Esta expulsión de personas de los países hacia fuera de sus fronteras, lamentablemente tampoco ha permitido a esta población beneficiarse de su propio trabajo y de los sacrificios de la migración. Por eso señala el mismo autor:

Al convertirse en habitantes del “no lugar”, los inmigrantes se convierten en “no ciudadanos”, carentes de un territorio; no son suyos los derechos propios de pertenecer a una comunidad legítima y jurídicamente reconocida.

Y continúa diciendo, en la actualidad “proyectos macrorregionales como los Tratados de Libre Comercio o el Plan Pueblos Panamá, generarán nuevos flujos migratorios en función de nuevas y viejas demandas de fuerza de trabajo de los mercados de la región, cada vez más transnacionalizados…Estas son uno de los principales renglones en la transnacionalización del empleo y una de las nuevas fuentes de acumulación de ganancias.”

Precisamente sobre el tema del impacto económico de las migraciones, Manuel Orozco 26, señala que: “Las migraciones y las remesas27 se han constituido en símbolos del rostro humano de la globalización. Millones de personas emigran y, al mismo tiempo, continúan con sus obligaciones sociales y familiares en su país de origen. El envío de dinero, conocido como remesas, representa una de esas obligaciones…Latinoamérica recibió US$38 mil millones. Esta tendencia tiene implicaciones significativas, incluyendo cuestiones atinentes a la relación entre desarrollo y la migración.”

Indica el mismo autor que es importante tener en cuenta cuatro premisas sobre las remesas y el desarrollo, a saber: 1) Estos volúmenes financieros tienen amplios efectos económicos; 2) las remesas se dirigen principalmente hacia la gente pobre, sin ser una solución a la misma sino un alivio temporal; 3) Es necesario adoptar políticas concretas para fomentar el desarrollo sostenible; y 4) Debe tenerse en cuenta los agentes involucrados, especialmente, los inmigrantes y sus familias.

Las remesas dan la posibilidad también de visualizar una perspectiva positiva de las migraciones. Así indica Orozco: “La migración beneficia a los países que exportan e importan fuerza 25 . Dinámica actual y contexto de las migraciones en América Central, Migración y Derechos Humanos: Reunión de personas expertas / IIDH, San José, Costa Rica, IIDH, 2004. 26 . Orozco, Manuel, Remesas hacia Latinoamérica y el Caribe: cuestiones de perspectivas acerca del Desarrollo, Migración y Derechos Humanos: Reunión de personas expertas / IIDH, San José, Costa Rica, IIDH, 2004 27 . El BID ha hecho un llamado para que disminuyan los márgenes de intermediación y ganancias de los bancos y casas de cambio a fin de que aumenten las remesas que reciben las familias en los países de salida. - 54 - de trabajo. Algunos de los cuales se deben al turismo, las telecomunicaciones, las inversiones, el transporte y las remesas, todos los cuales guardan relación con la migración. La cantidad de remesas se ha incrementado dramáticamente durante los últimos diez años; la estimación anual es de unos US$140 mil millones mundialmente…28 Para la mayoría de los países, las remesas superan el volumen de la inversión y la ayuda externa”29.

El caso de la migración irregular

En los últimos tiempos se ha tratado de resaltar la importancia económica de los aportes directos que tienen las remesas de las personas migrantes en los países originarios, especialmente resaltan los casos de El Salvador y Nicaragua. A ello se suma una percepción de la opinión pública adversa y altamente xenófoba y discriminatoria en perjuicio de la población migrante.

Sin embargo, si hacemos un balance con cierto nivel de detenimiento, la conclusión podría ser otra.

Dentro del cuadro general del mapa migratorio, la migración irregular representa un fenómeno de especial atención. En primer lugar, porque se da en contra de la voluntad de los gobiernos y de los migrantes porque las condiciones en su país de origen impiden que su permanencia sea viable. En segundo lugar, porque hay una demanda, aun cuando se quiera negar su legalización.

Por ello, es necesario determinar el impacto real de las migraciones en la sociedad vis a vis la percepción social de las migraciones.

Por ejemplo, es discutible el supuesto impacto negativo de las migraciones en los mercados de trabajo o en los mismos servicios sociales. En buena medida, por el contrario, se observa que en los países receptores hay una verdadera competencia entre el sector empleador que busca una mano de obra inmigrante barata y aquellos empleadores que ven en la inmigración ilegal una competencia desleal.

Lo cierto es que la lógica de los Estados en relación con la situación de los migrantes ilegales es tratar de manejar el problema desde una óptica policial administrativa inmediatista a partir del derecho soberano que tienen los Estados de controlar el flujo migratorio en su territorio.

El problema es bastante más complejo y la solución tiene que venir en doble vía, no solo es asunto del país receptor. Como muy bien lo sostiene Mármora, los países de origen se han desligado tradicionalmente del problema a partir de la consideración de que la emigración era una decisión individual, por lo que los riesgos los debe asumir el migrante, lo cual supone que los efectos solo son problema del país receptor.30

28 . US$ 40 mil millones en el 2003 para Latinoamérica y el Caribe, con un promedio de $700 a $1000 por inmigrante 29 . Ibíd. 30 . MARMORA, Lelio. El Fenómeno migratorio regional en América Central y del Norte, Políticas y Gobernabilidad. En: Foro Regional sobre Derechos Humanos, Refugiados y Migraciones en América Central. San José, Costa Rica, 28-30 de octubre de 1996, p. 28. - 55 -

Mientras tanto, el inmigrante ilegal se debate en una línea de penuria y de desconocimiento de sus derechos fundamentales, ya que las políticas migratorias del Estado receptor son normalmente represivas, cuando deberían responder a verdaderas relaciones internacionales entre los países.

La solución contra el tráfico ilegal está, en primera instancia, en el respeto a los derechos humanos, en la regulación de la migración definitiva y temporal y en la participación de los países de origen, así como en los receptores. Siguiendo a Escaler, una política orientada a detener el creciente número de personas que buscan entrar a los potenciales países de recepción, confiado solo en la imposición coactiva de un régimen estricto de entradas, aparece como inadecuada e incluso miope.31

Al respecto, es necesario avanzar sobre algunas propuestas de política de Estado como podrían ser:

- Ampliación de programas de migraciones temporales según estudios de demanda; - Establecimiento y ampliación de cuotas de trabajadores migrantes en sectores con demanda insatisfecha; - Programas de retorno asistido concomitantemente con medidas de reintegración; - Campañas de información sobre peligros, riesgos y desventajas de la migración ilegal en el país de origen; - Diseño de campañas informativas sobre el impacto verdadero de las migraciones y ataque a los prejuicios y actitudes xenófobas; - Controles reales de las condiciones laborales en las zonas francas de maquila situadas en zonas fronterizas; - Realización de proyectos eficientes dirigidos a contribuir productivamente con la canalización de remesas del exterior; - Cooperación en la lucha contra el tráfico de migrantes.

Algunas de estas opciones tienen origen, en buena medida, en las recomendaciones de la Comisión Asesora del Congreso de los Estados Unidos creada para examinar los factores que impulsaban la inmigración indocumentada hacia ese país desde otros puntos del hemisferio occidental, compuesta por miembros de los partidos demócrata y republicano, llamada “Comisión para el Estudio de la Migración Internacional y el Desarrollo Económico Cooperativo”.32

Breves reflexiones sobre las mujeres migrantes

Hemos visto como la salida de personas de sus propios países de origen causa una gran vulnerabilidad que se torna más violenta cuando el estatus jurídico de ilegalidad en el país receptor o de tránsito, acompañan esta movilidad humana. Tratos crueles y degradantes, incluyendo acoso sexual en mujeres, niños y niñas son cotidianos para quienes deben huir forzosamente hacia el exterior.

31 . Citado por MARMORA, Lelio. Ibid. P. 29. 32 . CONGRESO DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS, Inmigración indocumentada a los Estados Unidos: El desarrollo económico como respuesta. Informe de la Comisión para el Estudio de la Migración Internacional y del Desarrollo Económico Cooperativo, Resumen Ejecutivo, Washington D.C. 1990. - 56 -

El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (1995) ha señalado que “esto agrava la difícil y traumática situación que causa su salida forzada: pérdida de su entorno cultural, social y religioso; de su familia y amigos; de la tierra, animales o empleo. Traslado del campo a la ciudad. Invisibilidad. Choque psicosocial con consecuencias de desintegración familiar, alcoholismo, deserción escolar, prostitución, drogas, desempleo, empobrecimiento: diferentes formas de abuso, desnutrición y problemas de aprendizaje en los niños; inseguridad. Violencia, injusticia y sufrimiento”.33

Regionalmente la migración femenina ha venido creciendo desde la década de los años ochenta, principalmente cuando emigraban hacia Estados Unidos para trabajar como domésticas, agrícolas, industriales, enfermeras, prostitutas. El tráfico de mujeres y su explotación asume una gravedad creciente (Zeledón, Cristina y Pacheco, Gilda, 1996).

Estudios al respecto (Guzmán, Laura y Zeledón, Cristina, 1993)34 demuestran que la falta de oportunidades para trabajar, estudiar y atender las necesidades básicas de sus familias obliga a muchas mujeres a tomar la decisión de trasladarse a otra región o país con la meta de mejores oportunidades...La feminización de la pobreza está llevando a muchas mujeres con dependientes a cargo a desplazarse hacia otros países, dejando a sus hijos e hijas a cargo de algún familiar. Este es el caso de mujeres que se van a laborar como empleadas domésticas, trabajadores agrícolas, pero también como profesionales. En otros casos, se moviliza la familia por etapas, una vez que la mujer tiene trabajo estable.

Factores que influyen en la decisión de las mujeres a emigrar ha sido la guerra y la violencia. En esta última se incluye la doméstica, cuyo rompimiento del ciclo implica más que terminar con su pareja. Supone resolver problemas como el desempleo y subempleo, enfrentar la inseguridad frente a amenazas de muerte, persecución laboral y pérdida de los hijos, lo mismo que la incapacidad de la policía y administración de justicia de garantizarle protección. Además las expone a la falta de oportunidades para capacitarse, abusos de empleadores, acoso, abuso y violaciones por parte de quienes facilitan la emigración, oficiales de migración y otros funcionarios fronterizos y de aeropuertos. Se han denunciado casos de mujeres migrantes trabajadoras indocumentadas que han sido forzadas a la prostitución por sus propios compañeros bajo amenazas de denunciarlas a la policía.

Precisamente lo que se quiere hacer notar es que si bien tanto hombres como mujeres migrantes sufren situaciones de violencia, existen particularidades con respecto al sexo que no deben ser obviadas, pues tienen implicaciones directas en la eficacia y eficiencia que tengan las políticas de atención en esta materia (Pacheco, 1994)35.

Hay que prestar atención a cuáles son los obstáculos especiales que tienen las mujeres en el disfrute de sus derechos. En el caso de mujeres indígenas, se ven expuestas a mayores

33 . Zeledón Cristina y Pacheco Gilda, Mujeres Migrantes y Derechos Humanos. Necesidad de un reconocimiento específico. 34 . Guzmán Laura y Zeledón Cristina. Los derechos humanos de la mujer migrante en el trabajo y en el hogar. En IIDH, Estudios Básicos de Derechos Humanos, S.J., C.R.. IIDH, 1995 p.255-290. 35 . Pacheco, Gilda. Migraciones Forzadas en Centroamérica. Evolución psicosocial en Lejos del país: Emigrantes, Refugiados, Exiliados, Nueva Sociedad, No.127, 1993 - 57 - discriminaciones cuando se dirigen a la ciudad que para la que permanecen en la montaña a pesar de muchos otros peligros a los cuales se exponen.

La conciencia de estas particularidades, evidencia la especial atención que debe brindarse a las mujeres que emigran y su necesaria vinculación con las políticas migratorias que acertadamente incorporan nuevas perspectivas en sus ordenamientos jurídicos.

Breves reflexiones sobre migrantes indígenas

Las migraciones indígenas ocurren en el marco de las políticas globales que pregonan la apertura de fronteras y flexibilización de mecanismos para la circulación de capitales y mercancías; pero paradójicamente promueven el cierre de fronteras y endurecimiento de políticas migratorias para las personas.

La exclusión es el eje transversal en la situación de los migrantes indígenas, esta se expresa en la distancia existente entre los indicadores sociales y económicos en los derechos fundamentales. Los pueblos indígenas no tienen paraguas que los protejan aún dentro de las fronteras nacionales de sus países de origen, ni en los países de paso, ni en los países de destino.

Para la reflexión sobre la situación de la migración indígena, es pertinente articular ciudadanía y migración de manera que expresen justicia distributiva, representación y pertenencia. No obstante, puede ser riesgoso el uso de un concepto disgregado de ciudadanía. El marco de la ciudadanía son los derechos humanos, particularmente los derechos económicos, sociales y culturales.

Como parte del trabajo del IIDH en este tema concreto, hemos obtenido los siguientes hallazgos:

- La migración indígena aunque no es un fenómeno nuevo, ha sido muy poco estudiado. Es un tema marginal en la academia como en las políticas públicas. Por ello es importante considerar un enfoque desde la “cultura de movilidad” que puede encontrar que hay raíces tradicionales profundas a tomar en cuenta en los procesos de los pueblos indígenas. El concepto de formas de vivir móviles incluye aspectos culturales y religiosos.

- Si bien las migraciones indígenas son menores que las de otros sectores, este tiende a crecer con mayor rapidez como se puede ilustrar con el diagnóstico de las migraciones indígenas en Panamá.

- Se está produciendo procesos de vulneración de los territorios indígenas por políticas de anulación de éstas. El crecimiento de la migración permanente (que ya no retorna) está dejando las familias y comunidades fragmentadas, “solo quedan los abuelos y los niños”.

- Los pueblos indígenas de Colombia están siendo sometidos a un proceso de “desterritorialización”, pérdida de sus territorios por el desplazamiento forzado de la población e incorporación de sus tierras en la economía ilegal por parte de los grupos - 58 -

armados. En la mayoría de los países el crecimiento del mercado de tierras, hace vulnerable los territorios indígenas.

- Particularmente en Estados Unidos se dieron procesos inducidos por políticas de reubicación, internados, servicio militar para la eliminación de los territorios y urbanización de los indígenas. En Chile con la eliminación de la figura de comunidad durante el régimen de Augusto Pinochet se intentó anular la existencia de territorios indígenas y sus habitantes.

- Aunque la migración para los pueblos indígenas, puede significar un corte abrupto de sus relaciones significantes con su cultura, su comunidad; muchos ven beneficios en migrar: por el acceso a salud, educación, empleo (Panamá). Inclusive para pueblos como los Otavalos de Ecuador, viajar y conocer da prestigio. Lo han convertido en un modo de vida tradicional trasmitido de padres a hijos, desarrollando facilidad de dominio del espacio local y global y aprovechando de sus ventajas comparativas de la explotación de su identidad cultural. Hay casos similares en los Andes y Mesoamérica. Para otros pueblos como los Saraguros de Ecuador es al revés, para migrar deben despojarse de elementos visibles de su identidad cultural. Las mujeres dominicanas deben disfrazarse como turistas para migrar legalmente a Europa o aplicar al estatus de trabajadoras del sexo para legalizarse en algunos países, aunque nunca las tengan que ejercer. Pero ya les queda el estigma.

- Los indígenas, según los contextos, están presentes en todos los tipos y ciclos migratorios: temporal y permanente, intraregional, transfronteriza e internacional, rural – rural, rural - urbana. Migración pendular, circular, cíclica, estacional, así como en procesos de retorno.

- La detección de casos de VIH/SIDA en comunidades indígenas del caribe de Honduras y Nicaragua, no ha sido asumida seriamente por los Estados, dejando en la indefensión a estas comunidades ante posibles epidemias. La existencia de un turismo sexual en estos países junto a la condición derivada de la actividad portuaria pone en exposición a la población indígena, especialmente las mujeres.

- En los países donde todavía hay conflicto armado, hay una amenaza latente a la diversidad étnica y cultural del país, en particular de algunas comunidades muy vulnerables. Doce pueblos de la amazonía están en peligro de extinción. Los territorios se han convertido en escenarios estratégicos de los grupos armados ilegales, y focos de concentración de la confrontación armada.

- En Colombia, uno de los pueblos para quienes el desplazamiento puede significar a corto plazo la extinción son los Nukak Maku “últimos nómadas”; es devastador el impacto del desplazamiento forzado sobre su cultura, integridad y vida, ya que más del 50% de su población está desplazada.

- Los efectos globales del desplazamiento sobre la población indígena se expresan en: 1.- Distanciamiento entre comunidades desplazadas, 2.-discontinuidad de las prácticas culturales, 3.- pérdida de interlocución de sus autoridades, 4.- imposibilidad - 59 -

de ejercer la gobernabilidad, y 5.- la anulación de los derechos humanos fundamentales.

- En EEUU. y Chile la mayor parte de la población indígena vive en las ciudades, donde son invisibilizados. En Panamá la tercera parte de los Kunas vive en Ciudad de Panamá. En esos casos se da una desterritorialización de la identidad cultural como producto de la urbanización de la población indígena. El territorio ya no es el principal referente de la identidad. Ha pasado a ser sustituida por las redes sociales como puede verse en la experiencia de los mapuches-warriaches de Santiago de Chile, donde las redes y la cosmovisión cumplen un rol vital en el tránsito de una “etnicidad negativa” a “etnicidad positiva”, de la autoinvisibilización a la reivindicación de la identidad étnica colectiva. Ocurre una reconfiguración de la identidad.

- El impacto de las migraciones en las familias y comunidades de origen se evidencia en todos los estudios como afectados. En caso de las esposas que quedan en la comunidad, se expresa en un doble abandono: la primera, cuando sus maridos migran, y la segunda, cuando sus maridos no regresan y deciden tomar otra pareja en el lugar de destino. Las historias de vida en Guatemala relacionan con el alcoholismo, drogadicción y suicidio de las mujeres abandonadas. También se sienten los efectos negativos en los lugares de destino: alcoholismo, drogadicción, deterioro de la salud, discriminación, xenofobia.

A continuación algunas ideas para la formulación de una Política Interamericana de Derechos Específicos de los Pueblos indígenas en situación de migración y movilidad poblacional que involucran dimensiones sociales, económicas, políticas y culturales que las normativas nacionales e internacionales debieran reconocer y garantizar:

a) Derecho a la no discriminación: garantizar la no discriminación de las personas indígenas urbanos, migrantes y nómadas, y elaborar programas que permitan transformar la “identidad negativa” en “identidad positiva” valorada por la sociedad en su conjunto. b) Derecho al reconocimiento político y jurídico: definir y reconocer la existencia de indígenas urbanos, migrantes y nómadas. c) Derecho al reconocimiento cultural: garantizar el reconocimiento de las personas, grupos y pueblos indígenas en las situaciones de migración, de residencia urbana y de nomadismo señalados, conforme a sus propias definiciones y adscripciones. d) Derecho a la conservación de sus derechos territoriales y económicos ancestrales: que los reconocimientos políticos, jurídicos y culturales de los pueblos indígenas en situaciones de migración, de residencia urbana y nomadismo no signifique la pérdida de sus eventuales derechos territoriales ancestrales. e) Derecho a ser contabilizados: garantizar la contabilización sociodemográfica de las personas pertenecientes a pueblos indígenas en situaciones de migración, residencia urbana y de nomadismo, conforme a sus propias definiciones y adscripciones pesquisando su caracterización socio-demográfica adecuadamente en todos los censos nacionales de población. - 60 -

f) Derecho a la visibilidad: garantizar la información de y entre los pueblos y comunidades indígenas en situaciones de migración, residencia urbana y de nomadismo, generando las condiciones para que su historia, cultural y diferentes formas de adscripción sena conocidos, enseñados y transmitidos a nivel de la sociedad global y de ellos mismos. g) Derecho a la educación intercultural: garantizar el derecho a la educación intercultural bilingüe de los niños y niños hijos de indígenas urbanos, migrantes y nómadas, en sus lugares de escolarización. h) Derecho a la equidad e igualdad de oportunidades: garantizar el derecho de los indígenas urbanos, migrantes y nómadas, a recibir la misma remuneración que otros trabajadores no indígenas por la ejecución de los mismos trabajos. i) Derechos culturales y colectivos: garantizar el derecho de los indígenas urbanos, migrantes y nómadas a tener espacios de reunión, de prácticas rituales, de práctica de deportes, de comercialización y de información, entre otros, administrados por si mismos. j) Derecho a la organización y asociatividad: reconocer y promover mecanismos asociativos de los indígenas migrantes, residentes urbanos y nómadas. k) Derecho a la representación: promover y asegurar la representación de los indígenas migrantes, residentes urbanos y nómadas en las instancias políticas administrativas y jurisdiccionales de las comunas o áreas geográfica donde se inserten (consejos municipales y demás órganos de representación) de manera que sus intereses, problemas y realidades se encuentren representados en las instancias de toma de decisiones sobre las cuestiones que les afectan.

Principales derechos humanos que se violan a los migrantes

En el entendido de que los derechos humanos son inherentes a todas las personas que se encuentran en un territorio determinado, en un momento dado, la población en tránsito temporal en un país también debe estar cubierta con garantías suficientes y eficaces para que no sea objeto de transgresiones por su especial condición de relativa vulnerabilidad por motivo de su desarraigo. En teoría, los extranjeros tienen los mismos derechos establecidos en las constituciones políticas y otros instrumentos internacionales ratificados por el Estado, con la salvedad de aquellos derechos que naturalmente le están vedados y que guardan relación con los derechos políticos. Pero la realidad es otra.

Es parte de la función de Estado practicar actos vinculados con criterios de discrecionalidad para decidir sobre el control migratorio. Esa potestad, legítima de los Estados, no puede ser abusiva, porque la discrecionalidad no es sinónimo de arbitrariedad ni puede violentar derechos humanos.

Sin embargo, es común que sea con esta práctica de determinación de criterios de supuesta ilegalidad o indeseabilidad, que los Estados optan muchas veces por expulsar de su territorio a personas extranjeras sin que se les permita ejercer su derecho de defensa mediante un proceso administrativo dentro de un periodo de tiempo que, generalmente, es fugaz. Es común la práctica de expulsiones masivas de extranjeros sin posibilidad de accionar mecanismos legales de protección.

Es a partir de esa circunstancia que se inicia el camino hacia una concatenación de violaciones a los derechos humanos de las personas migrantes, pero especialmente para los que se - 61 - encuentran en ese rango de incertidumbre que es la indocumentación. Ese catálogo de derechos violentados incluye: violación del principio fundamental de la no devolución, no aceptación de solicitudes de asilo y refugio que era práctica ser aceptadas, no acceso al mercado laboral o acceso en términos discriminatorios, detenciones masivas crecientes, tráfico ilegal internacional de trabajadores migrantes, dificultad para acceder la justicia, etc.

El acceso a la justicia:

Debemos iniciar con ese derecho fundamental de petición, que es el derecho humano más violentado. La situación de persona “indocumentada” es la más compleja porque se saben candidatas a una expulsión inminente de parte de las autoridades administrativas si se determina su indocumentación, ya que los sistemas de reclamo requieren de algún documento de identificación.

Sabedores de ello, muchos empresarios inescrupulosos dentro del país receptor, realizan contrataciones laborales al margen de la ley, sin cubrir niveles de salario mínimo ni cargas sociales obligatorias. Saben que no serán denunciados por la persona migrante porque el riesgo de hacerlo es mayor. Eso se traduce en reducción de gastos operativos y en un precio final más “competitivo” para sus productos. Las personas migrantes, por ende, ven agravada su condición por el carácter de invisibilidad que toma como población para evadir una probable deportación, lo cual la sume dentro de un conjunto de estereotipos que hacen que su permanencia en los países receptores sea de completa marginalidad.

Adicionalmente, hay una transgresión al derecho a la información, el cual es básico para ejercitar el reclamo por violaciones a otros derechos humanos, ya que si las personas migrantes no tienen modo de saber qué medios y recursos tienen para defenderse de actos estatales arbitrarios, no pueden entonces accionarlos. Ante esas circunstancias, poco hace el Estado por incluir en su agenda un proceso informativo para hacer del conocimiento de los migrantes sus derechos.

Libertad de tránsito:

La situación descrita incide directamente en prácticas estatales de abuso de autoridad en detenciones en casos de deportación y prolongadas estadías en centros de detención en condiciones impropias.

Derechos económicos, sociales y culturales:

Sin mayor esfuerzo de análisis, los derechos económicos, sociales y culturales son la “cenicienta” de los derechos humanos para la población en general. Pero tratándose de población migrante, la marginación conduce a que los ya de por sí insuficientes servicios de salud, educación, vivienda, etc., no sean asequibles a ella en un todo, o solo en parte, lo cual implica una violación adicional al derecho a la igualdad y no discriminación.

En el caso de la salud, como ya se indicó, la negativa de los patronos y empresarios a asegurar a sus empleados y empleadas extranjeras, sobre todo si son indocumentadas, los inhibe de ser atendidos por los sistemas de seguridad social. - 62 -

Otra forma de marginación se produce cuando el Estado no participa al sector migrante de los programas de beneficios sociales relacionados con el acceso a préstamos preferenciales o bonos para la adquisición de vivienda o alimentos, ya que no califican por su condición migratoria.

En el campo laboral, las manifestaciones de injusticia van desde jornadas laborales excesivas, hasta falta de pago de salarios o salarios inferiores al de ley. Es común, además, que ese salario sea todavía más reducido para la contratación de mujeres y menores. Colateralmente, no participan de otros beneficios como cotizar para optar a sistemas de pensiones, riesgos de trabajo, pólizas de vida, etc. Como corolario de lo anterior, se produce una violación al derecho a tener un salario digno y oportunidades de tener acceso a actividades culturales, deportivas y de distracción.

Aunado a lo anterior, se produce complacencia estatal debido a la ausencia total o parcial de inspección y control de los órganos competentes.

A nivel internacional, la protección para los trabajadores migrantes es bastante débil. El único tratado internacional en esa materia, la Convención Internacional sobre la Protección de los Derechos de todos los Trabajadores Migratorios y sus Familias, entró en vigor en julio de 2003. Por su parte, la Asamblea General de la OEA le dio un espaldarazo con la emisión de la resolución AG/RES 2130 (XXXV-O/05), aprobada en la cuarta sesión plenaria del 7 de junio de 2005 (“Los Derechos Humanos de todos los Trabajadores Migratorios y sus Familias”), la cual tuvo, a su vez, un importante impulso y antecedente desde la Relatoría del mismo tema de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos.

Esa resolución, tomó como fuente primaria la opinión consultiva OC-18 de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos en la que claramente se indicó que “la calidad migratoria de una persona no puede constituir una justificación para privarla del goce y ejercicio de sus derechos humanos, entre ellos los de carácter laboral”.

Derecho a la propiedad

Cuando ocurre una deportación individual o masiva de extranjeros en forma ilegal, sin abrir un proceso administrativo y sin posibilidades de ejercer el derecho de defensa, se sucede una serie de hechos que inciden en la violación del derecho a la propiedad. La “eficacia” de la deportación no permite ni siquiera que la persona a deportar pueda recoger sus pertenencias y sus bienes en general; mucho menos poner en regla sus propiedades, lo cual resulta confiscatorio de su propiedad.

Derecho a la no devolución

En el caso de los refugiados, se ha desarrollado el principio de la no devolución y se busca alcanzar procesos de repatriación voluntaria. Sin embargo, ese principio es violentado en forma frecuente.

En una resolución de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos sobre medidas provisionales en favor de varias personas migrantes haitianas ante una inminente deportación desde República Dominicana, se desarrolló una pionera jurisprudencia dentro del sistema interamericano de protección de los derechos humanos. La Corte decretó la protección de tales personas, ordenando que la República Dominicana se abstuviera de deportarlas o expulsarlas; requirió el permiso para que - 63 - otras personas –ya expulsadas- pudiesen retornar; requirió su colaboración para obtener información acerca de otras personas desaparecidas y la realización de determinadas reunificaciones familiares. También pidió mayor información sobre la situación de los miembros de las comunidades o “bayates” que pueden estar sujetos a expulsión y la efectiva protección de las personas que habían actuado en el proceso como testigos.36

En su voto concurrente a esa resolución, el Presidente de ese Tribunal reforzó esa tesis al señalar que se deben adoptar nuevas formas de protección para erradicar la exclusión social y la pobreza extrema “aunque no estén literalmente contempladas en los instrumentos internacionales de protección del ser humano vigentes”. Una de ellas debe recordar que el principio de no devolución (non-refoulement), piedra angular de la protección de los refugiados, es un principio que “puede invocarse inclusive en contextos distintos, como el de la expulsión colectiva de migrantes ilegales o de otros grupos.”37

Algunos Principios Rectores de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos

La aplicación práctica de la protección internacional de derechos humanos de las personas migrantes y sus familias, encuentra como fuente primaria a nivel regional, las opiniones y fallos de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos. Esta rica y vasta jurisprudencia debe orientar y obligar la labor de los Estados y sus autoridades en materia migratoria. Por ello, en el anexo 2 presentamos algunos extractos de esa jurisprudencia.

Finalmente señalamos brevemente que la honorable Corte ha indicado en el tema en materia de política migratoria que esta está “Constituida por todo acto, medida u omisión institucional (leyes, decretos, resoluciones, directrices, actos administrativos, etc. …) que versa sobre la entrada, salida o permanencia de población nacional o extranjera dentro de su territorio.38}

Este desarrollo jurisprudencial, que no podemos profundizar aquí, ha abordado temas como los alcances de derechos humanos y los límites al derecho soberano de los Estados de fijar su política migratoria; el principio a la no discriminación y la igualdad ante la ley; y el Debido Proceso para la materia migratoria.

Cómo insertar la problemática migratoria en una agenda hemisférica

En lo medular, la OEA debe mantener en su agenda la temática migratoria a partir de un programa sostenido de monitoreo de la situación que logre impulsar, desde su competencia, la incidencia para que los Estados miembros instrumenten políticas institucionales, nacionales y regionales, que permitan monitorear a los Estados en su obligación de definir políticas estatales a

36 . Resolución de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos del 18 de agosto de 2000. Medidas provisionales solicitadas por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos respecto de la República Dominicana. 37 . Ibid. Voto concurrente del juez A.A. Cançado Trindade, ns. 7 y 7. 38 . Corte IDH, Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados, Opinión Consultiva OC-18/03, de 17 de septiembre de 2003, párr. 163. - 64 - largo plazo. Para ello, algunas recomendaciones regionales que podrían surgir como insumo para esa discusión, podrían ser las que se señalan a continuación, sin que se pretenda dejar de reseñar otras39.

- Definir estrategias conjuntas para incidir en la obligación de los Estados de diseñar políticas migratorias dentro de los planes nacionales de desarrollo para incorporarlas dentro de programas sociales para propiciar relaciones sociales integradoras y no discriminatorias. - Promover e interesar a los Estados para la promulgación de leyes o políticas administrativas de amnistía para inmigrantes indocumentados para lograr su inserción social. - Promover la ratificación de la Convención para la Protección de todos los Trabajadores Migratorios y sus Familiares y otros tratados internacionales existentes en materia de asilo, apatridia y refugio, así como dar cumplimiento a los Principios Rectores de los Desplazados Internos emitidos por las Naciones Unidas. - Buscar la participación de las instituciones nacionales en foros internacionales y regionales donde se aborde el tema migratorio, incluyendo el Sistema Interamericano. - Difundir y promover la aplicación del artículo 36 de la Convención de Viena sobre Relaciones Consulares que obliga al Estado receptor a notificar a las autoridades consulares de los nacionales de otros países sobre la detención y procesamiento de estos, incluyendo la interpretación hecha por la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos en su Opinión Consultiva OC-16/99. - Establecer bases de datos para contactar redes de familiares y promover intercambio de información y de cooperación con instituciones nacionales y regionales. - Instrumentar medios más eficaces para el manejo de estadísticas del flujo migratorio a nivel nacional y regional, tomando en cuenta categorías por sexo, edad, etnia, etc. - Instar a las instituciones financieras internacionales y a organismos de cooperación internacional, a patrocinar proyectos de desarrollo que propicien el crecimiento de las regiones más pobres de América, especialmente, las que presenten focos de generación de inmigrantes. - Plantear a los Estados el diseño de campañas nacionales de información sobre las realidades de la inmigración, sus riesgos y sus desventajas. - Instar a los Estados para que, por los canales e instituciones correspondientes, adecuen la legislación nacional en relación con tratados internacionales que contemplen protección general o parcial a las personas migrantes. - Incidir en la protección de los derechos de los trabajadores en las maquiladoras y otras plantas de montaje. - Promover que los Estados definan directrices para la utilización adecuada de las remesas del exterior, complementándolas con otros recursos financieros destinados a programas de apoyo a la reinserción de migrantes deportados al país de origen. - Exigir declaración del impacto ambiental en todos los proyectos financiados por agencias de desarrollo y mejorar la calidad de vida en las zonas fronterizas. - Pedir a los Estados canalizar más recursos a través de las organizaciones internacionales que tratan la migración y el desarrollo. - Exhortar a los Estados receptores a ampliar y coordinar, con países originarios, programas de migraciones temporales, según estudios de demanda.

39 . Estas recomendaciones fueron discutidas como ponencia en el V Congreso de la Federación Interamericana de Ombudsman (FIO) en el 2000, cuando el IIDH ejercía como su Secretaría Técnica. - 65 -

- Fomentar la coordinación entre los Estados originarios y receptores de migrantes para la realización de programas de retorno asistido, concomitantemente con medidas de reintegración. - Exhortar a los Estados a la elaboración y difusión de campañas publicitarias para difundir la realidad de la situación migratoria tendiente a modificar la percepción errónea del inconciente colectivo respecto de la persona migrante, a fin de erradicar la xenofobia, la discriminación y la intolerancia. Involucrar en esta labor a los medios de comunicación colectiva. - Promover estrategias integrales para el combate contra el tráfico ilegal de migrantes.

Desde el IIDH, hemos analizado desde el marco de nuestra competencia en relación con los distintos programas y proyectos de la OEA cuál podría ser nuestra mejor contribución, y hemos considerado que podemos apoyar en lo siguiente:

1. Desarrollar programas conjuntos de cooperación para fortalecer el trabajo de los Ombudsman y facilitar el intercambio de información en materia de derechos humanos y legislación migratoria.

El IIDH ha apoyado y podría continuar apoyando al Consejo Centroamericano de Procuradores de Derechos Humanos, en su misión de apoyar e incentivar esfuerzos que realizan diferentes entidades en torno a la problemática migratoria, así como en la consecución de acciones concretas que conciban políticas integrales, tanto a nivel nacional como regional, tendientes a mejorar la situación de las personas migrantes en todos los ámbitos y en estricta observancia de sus derechos humanos.

Lo anterior implica – entre otras acciones – apoyo a la realización de encuentros regionales, seminarios-talleres de capacitación, publicaciones, apoyo técnico para la elaboración de documentos especializados en la materia, estrategias de trabajo

2. Capacitar jueces, funcionarios públicos que intervienen en los procedimientos migratorios, defensores públicos y fiscales sobre los instrumentos jurídicos internacionales, así como el marco jurídico existente para proteger los derechos humanos de los migrantes, en particular en materia de garantías judiciales.

En el marco del Programa de Administración de Justicia y Derechos Humanos, el IIDH cuenta también con experiencia en el tema migratorio en la región, habiendo desarrollado estudios sobre la situación de las personas migrantes en la región y talleres en el marco del Proyecto Asocio Estratégico entre Presidentes de Cortes Supremas de Justicia y Fiscalías Generales de América Latina y el Caribe y sus homólogos europeos. El enfoque – desde los derechos humanos – se ha referido específicamente al acceso a la justicia, la libertad de tránsito, los derechos económicos, sociales y culturales, el derecho a la propiedad y el derecho a la no devolución. En lo medular, las propuestas han tenido relación con la necesidad de incluir la temática migratoria en la agenda de administración de justicia y otras instancias gubernamentales, a partir de un diseño de políticas institucionales, nacionales y regionales, que permitan monitorear a los Estados en su obligación de definir políticas estatales a largo plazo. - 66 -

3. Capacitar funcionarios públicos responsables de la aplicación de la legislación laboral sobre no discriminación en contra de los trabajadores migratorios, adoptar un enfoque de género y la protección de la libertad sindical.

Si bien no hemos trabajado directamente en este ámbito, el IIDH cuenta con la capacidad de realizar actividades de esta índole por medio de su Departamento de Instituciones Públicas.

4. Ofrecer programas y campañas de educación pública masiva y de enseñanza básica y media contra la discriminación, la intolerancia, el racismo y la xenofobia dirigidas a fomentar la comprensión y valoración de la migración y el aporte de los migrantes a las sociedades de origen y de destino.

Dentro de realización de actividades de la Unidad Pedagógica para 2005, el tema de los DDHH de los migrantes estuvo contemplado como una cátedra especial dentro del XXIII Curso Interdisciplinario en Derechos Humanos (18 al 29 de julio, 2005), cátedra que regularmente dicta ACNUR en esos cursos.

Todas las actividades o materiales educativos que la Unidad Pedagógica realiza, además del Curso Interdisciplinario, incluyen siempre componentes de esclarecimiento y lucha contra la discriminación, la intolerancia, el racismo y la xenofobia, acompañados de la valoración de la migración y del aporte de los migrantes a las sociedades.

5. Elaborar materiales de capacitación y capacitar organizaciones de la sociedad civil de manera que puedan llevar a cabo campañas de educación sobre derechos humanos dirigidas a los migrantes y contra la trata de personas y el tráfico de migrantes, y las posibilidades de migración autorizada.

El Departamento de Entidades de la Sociedad Civil cuenta con una importante trayectoria en este campo, habiendo realizado numerosas actividades de capacitación en diversos países de la región y también para Centroamérica y Panamá, para lo que cuenta con diversas publicaciones de apoyo.

En agosto de 2004 se realizó una Reunión de personas expertas sobre migraciones y derechos humanos, que contó con la participación de expertos y representantes de gobierno, de organizaciones de la sociedad civil y de organismos de Naciones Unidas (ACNUR, Alto Comisionado de Derechos Humanos) vinculados a la temática, para contribuir a la definición de un plan estratégico para el IIDH, elaborado a partir de las deliberaciones y propuestas de los grupos de trabajo y con base en el mandato, misión-visión, estatutos, estructura organizativa y líneas de acción del Instituto. El documento sugiere trabajar con base en cuatro ejes estratégicos: a) educación en derechos humanos; b) justicia y seguridad, c) participación política; d) vigencia efectiva de los derechos económicos, sociales y culturales, por medio de las siguientes líneas de acción: a) investigación dirigida a la capacitación e incidencia; b) acciones en el marco jurídico internacional; c) promoción y asistencia técnica dirigida a los órganos estatales; d) capacitación a entidades de la sociedad civil; e) incidencia y capacitación dirigida a entidades del sector privado; y, f) actividades y acciones generales del IIDH conjuntamente con los órganos de protección del sistema interamericano. Todas las actividades deben realizarse con tres ejes transversales: a) género; b) diversidad étnica y cultural y c) relación sociedad civil-Estado.

- 67 -

6. Ofrecer capacitación en torno a las garantías de debido proceso en los procedimientos migratorios y en la utilización del sistema interamericano de derechos humanos dirigida a las organizaciones que ofrecen programas de asistencia jurídica gratuita a los migrantes.

El Departamento de Entidades de la Sociedad Civil cuenta con un proyecto de capacitación en este tema, que puede ser adaptado fácilmente para brindar cursos de capacitación a las organizaciones que así lo requieran.

7. Incluir componentes en las actividades de capacitación dirigidos al empoderamiento de las mujeres migrantes y de las mujeres que permanecen en el país de origen.

El IIDH cuenta con una amplia experiencia en actividades de capacitación dirigidas a mujeres refugiadas, desplazadas y migrantes económicas y cuenta con un importante material de apoyo y publicaciones elaborados por el Programa de Derechos de las Mujeres, por lo que puede participar en la realización de talleres, cursos, seminarios u otros que se considere necesarios.

Es importante también señalar que a través del desarrollo del sitio web institucional y de las secciones especializadas Diversidades (Indígenas, Afrodescendientes y Migrantes) y Derechos Mujeres, contamos con cursos en línea y materiales especializados diversos que pueden servir para la realización de campañas de educación, capacitación, difusión y otras que se requiera realizar de manera virtual en el tema.

Consideraciones finales

Hemos querido compartir con ustedes algunas breves reflexiones sobre la movilidad humana en el mundo, sus causas y consecuencias y el enfoque institucional del IIDH. La trascendencia de los derechos humanos, su reconocimiento internacional y su acatamiento obligatorio para los Estados y sus funcionarios, precisamente tiende a revertir parte de estos procesos de violencia y explotación de quienes emigran de sus países.

Es fundamental indicar los aportes de la comunidad internacional mediante convenios, pactos, relatorías especializadas, cortes internacionales, organismos técnicos especializados y el apoyo de la sociedad civil para crear mecanismos de control y supervisión de las condiciones en que se encuentran las personas que emigran y sus familias.

Quisiéramos llamar la atención indicando que la complejidad del tema migratorio hace que su abordaje sea igualmente multifacético e interdisciplinario. Las políticas migratorias y sus leyes, son las dos grandes tensiones en que se debaten los actores de estos flujos: por una parte, los Estados tratando de restringir el acceso a sus países y a los principales beneficios sociales del país; y por otro los países de origen y sus migrantes tratando de encontrar condiciones mínimas para subsistir.

Precisamente, los aportes de un piso (mínimo) de respeto a derechos fundamentales esbozados por la Relatoría especializada en la materia, nos evidencia la gravedad de la realidad que viven quienes emigran. De allí la importancia de eventos como el presente que permita evidenciar en quienes inciden en políticas rectoras hemisféricas, la necesidad de la especialización del tema y su sensibilización hacia la materia. Las restricciones a la soberanía estatal sólo pueden ser - 68 - comprendidas en el tanto se busque su asidero legal en principios superiores a los de cualquier Estado o Nación.

La política migratoria implica restricciones y concesiones. Precisamente, hoy, en presencia de quienes pueden influir en la elaboración de convenios y tratados regionales, no quisiéramos dejar pasar la oportunidad para hacer un llamamiento para fortalecer la incorporación efectiva de los derechos humanos de las personas migrantes como un eje transversal insoslayable. - 69 -

Victoria Napky

ANEXOS

Anexo 1 Datos sobre el crecimiento de las personas migrantes en el mundo

1. Número de migrantes en el mundo: 175 millones (2000). Datos de la Encuesta Mundial Económica y Social 2004. 2. Razón de la migración Futuro mejor huyendo de:  Pobreza  Violencia estructural, intrafamiliar y política  Falta de oportunidades en sus países de origen 3. Aumento del número de migrantes en el Desde los años 60 se ha más que duplicado el mundo número de inmigrantes en el mundo, pasando de 70 millones a 175 millones en el año 2000 - 70 -

Victoria Napky

Anexo 2

Sobre las políticas migratorias y la soberanía de los Estados la Corte Interamericana ha indicado:

“ La Corte estima conveniente señalar que, en el ejercicio de su facultad de fijar políticas migratorias, es lícito que los Estados establezcan medidas atinentes al ingreso, permanencia o salida de personas migrantes para desempeñarse como trabajadores en determinado sector de producción en su Estado, siempre que ello sea acorde con las medidas de protección de los derechos humanos de toda persona y, en particular, de los derechos humanos de los trabajadores. Con el fin de cubrir esta necesidad, los Estados pueden tomar diversas medidas, tales como el otorgamiento o denegación de permisos de trabajo generales o para ciertas labores específicas, pero deben establecerse mecanismos para asegurar que ello se haga sin discriminación alguna, atendiendo únicamente a las características de la actividad productiva y la capacidad individual de las personas. De esta forma, se garantiza una vida digna al trabajador migrante, protegiéndole de la situación de vulnerabilidad e inseguridad en que usualmente se encuentra, y se organiza así eficiente y adecuadamente el proceso de producción local o nacional”.40

Asimismo, la Corte ha señalado que:

“ los Estados no pueden subordinar o condicionar la observancia del principio de la igualdad ante la ley y la no discriminación a la consecución de los objetivos de sus políticas públicas, cualesquiera que sean éstas, incluidas las de carácter migratorio. Este principio de carácter general debe respetarse y garantizarse siempre. Cualquier actuación u omisión en sentido contrario es incompatible con los instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos.”41

Y que:

[…] la situación regular de una persona en un Estado no es condición necesaria para que dicho Estado respete y garantice el principio de la igualdad y no discriminación, puesto que, como ya se mencionó, dicho principio tiene carácter fundamental y todos los Estados deben garantizarlo a sus ciudadanos y a toda persona extranjera que se encuentre en su territorio.42

Sobre la importancia del respeto al derecho a la igualdad y a la no discriminación, la Corte Interamericana ha establecido:

40 . Corte IDH, Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados, Opinión Consultiva OC-18/03, de 17 de septiembre de 2003, párr. 169. CEJIL.

41 . Corte IDH, Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados, Opinión Consultiva OC-18/03, de 17 de septiembre de 2003, párr. 172. (El resaltado no es del original). CEJIL.

42 . Corte IDH, Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados, Opinión Consultiva OC-18/03, de 17 de septiembre de 2003, párr. 118. CEJIL - 71 -

“ [l]a noción de igualdad se desprende directamente de la unidad de naturaleza del género humano y es inseparable de la dignidad esencial de la persona, frente a la cual es incompatible toda situación que, por considerar superior a un determinado grupo, conduzca a tratarlo con privilegio; o que, a la inversa, por considerarlo inferior, lo trate con hostilidad o de cualquier forma lo discrimine del goce de derechos que sí se reconocen a quienes no se consideran incursos en tal situación de inferioridad. No es admisible crear diferencias de tratamiento entre seres humanos que no se correspondan con su única e idéntica naturaleza.43”

Por otra parte, sobre la atención a las personas o grupos en situación de desventaja deben reunir ciertos requisitos, para que no sean consideradas como discriminatorias.

“no pued[e] afirmarse que exista discriminación en toda diferencia de tratamiento del Estado frente al individuo, siempre que esa distinción parta de supuestos de hecho sustancialmente diferentes y que expresen de modo proporcionado una fundamentada conexión entre esas diferencias y los objetivos de la norma, los cuales no pueden apartarse de la justicia o de la razón, vale decir, no pueden perseguir fines arbitrarios, caprichosos, despóticos o que de alguna manera repugnen a la esencial unidad y dignidad de la naturaleza humana44”.

En relación con el debido proceso, y la materia migratoria como parte del derecho administrativo de los Estados, la Corte Interamericana indicó:

“ el elenco de garantías mínimas establecido en el numeral 2 del artículo 8 [garantías del debido proceso] de la Convención se aplica a los órdenes mencionados en el numeral 1 del mismo artículo, o sea, la determinación de derechos y obligaciones de orden “civil, laboral, fiscal o de cualquier otro carácter”. Esto revela el amplio alcance del debido proceso; el individuo tiene el derecho al debido proceso entendido en los términos del artículo 8.1 y 8.2, tanto en materia penal como en todos estos otros órdenes.45

Finalmente, indicamos la preocupación manifiesta por la Corte Interamericana en el tema de la ley de migración de Costa Rica y el principio de no discriminación:

“ Las distinciones establecidas en la legislación costarricense implican un tratamiento diferente a partir del nivel de instrucción y la posición económica de las personas. La Relatoría desea enfatizar que profesionales, científicos, empresarios, trabajadores agrícolas, operadores de maquinaria o empleadas del servicio doméstico de nacionalidad extranjera son todas, sin distinción, personas que realizan una actividad remunerada en un Estado del cual no son nacionales. … A juicio de la Relatoría, la distinción entre radicados temporales y

43 . Corte IDH, Condición jurídica y derechos humanos del niño, párr. 45; Propuesta de modificación a la Constitución Política de Costa Rica relacionada con la naturalización, párr. 55; Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados, párr. 87. CEJIL.

44 . Corte IDH, Condición jurídica y derechos humanos del niño, párr. 47; Propuesta de modificación a la Constitución Política de Costa Rica, Opinión Consultiva OC-4/84, de 19 de enero de 1984, párr. 57; Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados, párr 91. CEJIL.

45 . Corte IDH, Caso Baena Ricardo y Otros Vs. Panamá, Sentencia de 2 de febrero de 2001, párrs. 124 y 125. CEJIL. - 72 -

trabajadores migrantes de la legislación migratoria costarricense conlleva consecuencias disímiles e incide en las condiciones de vida de las personas que se encuentran en una u otra categoría. En este sentido, las diferenciaciones establecidas en la ley implican un tratamiento discriminatorio en razón de consideraciones como la condición social, el nivel económico y la capacidad de realizar trabajo calificado de los extranjeros. Por ello, la Relatoría considera que esta distinción de la legislación migratoria transgrede el artículo 1 de la Convención Americana sobre los Derechos Humanos.46

46 . Informe sobre la visita in loco a Costa Rica de la Relatoría Especial para los Trabajadores Migratorios y los Miembros de sus Familias, párrs. 192 y 194. CEJIL. - 73 -

Hans van Loon – Conferencia de la Haya sobre Derecho Internacional Privado

I. Introduction

1. International migration has become a burning global issue that affects all sixty-five Member States of the Hague Conference, and indeed practically all States and their citizens on this planet. It is estimated that the number of international migrants47 has doubled in the past 25 years to reach the number of almost 200 million people.48 It is more than likely that the numbers will only further increase as nations become more interdependent and regions more integrated. Cross-border migration takes place both within the large regions of the world and between those regions, with a clear trend from economically developing towards developed regions. With the increase in scale, the issue has grown in complexity, and has become increasingly linked with other important global issues, such as security, trade, development, environment, and human rights. The range of stakeholders involved is huge, and their interests vary and sometimes conflict.

2. As the issue has grown in scale and complexity, States, international organisations and other stakeholders are looking for forms of governance to manage cross-border migration. Instinctively, many governments tend to favour unilateral procedures, but it is increasingly realised that international migration is driven by global forces, and there is growing awareness that international co-operation is essential to effectively control the movement of persons, eliminate abuses such as trafficking and smuggling, combat other undesirable forms of international migration, and promote the benefits it may also bring.

A. The work of the Hague Conference and its relation to international migration

3. Although the work of the Hague Conference on Private International Law–in so far as it deals with private international law aspects of the cross-border movement of people–is not central to the policy-making in the field of international migration, there are nevertheless important links. On the one hand, policies and perceptions of international migration have an impact on the willingness of governments to engage in negotiations on private international law issues that may affect those policies and perceptions, and to embrace the results of such negotiations. One may presume, for example, that one reason why a potentially very useful instrument such as the 1978 Hague Marriage

47 . Following the example of the Report of the Global Commission on International Migration, published in October 2005 (see < www.gcim.org >), this Note does not attempt to give a definition of “international migration” or “international migrants” and will focus on people who have been living outside their country for more than a year, as well as on temporary migrants. 48 . Most of the data referred to in this Note are derived from the Report cited in footnote 1. - 74 -

Convention49 has not yet been more widely ratified has to do with concerns about its impact on the control of the international movement of people. 4. On the other hand, several successful Hague Conventions provide effective solutions to problems raised by various aspects of international migration. They extend from regulating the cross-border movement of children to dealing with certain specific cross-border consequences of international migration. An example of an instrument aimed at effectively controlling the international movement of a specific category of children – by promoting their migration where it is in their best interest and no suitable arrangements can be made in the country of origin, and combating it when it is not – is the widely ratified 1993 Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention.50 According to one of its main provisions, no child may be entrusted to prospective adoptive parents for purposes of international adoption unless the Central Authorities of both the State of origin and the State of destination (“receiving State”) have agreed that the adoption may proceed.51 They must take the necessary steps so that the child may leave the State of origin and enter and reside permanently in the State of destination.52 The Convention also establishes an accreditation system for (private) intermediaries as a major means to reduce abuses and to enhance the prospects of successful adoptions.53 Within the next few years, the Intercountry Adoption Convention will cover the largest part of the estimated at least 40,000 children that are adopted every year, mainly from economically developing to economically more developed countries.

5. Examples of Hague Conventions that deal with certain incidents of international migration include the 1956, 1958 and 1973 Conventions on the law applicable, and on the recognition and enforcement of decisions relating to maintenance obligations. As one knows, the Hague Conference is presently negotiating a new global instrument in this field which, in consultation with the United Nations, will also include a new system for international administrative and judicial co-operation for the cross-border recovery of maintenance, as a modern alternative to the 1956 UN Convention.54 The new Convention should, within the area it covers, help to resolve issues, such as the lack of effective systems for, and high costs relating to the cross-border remittance of money, which are, on a more general scale, core issues of international migration and development.55 The 1996 Hague Convention

49 . The Hague Convention of 14 March 1978 on Celebration and Recognition of the Validity of Marriages, in force (only) for Australia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (and signed only by Egypt, Finland and Portugal). On the potential of this Convention, see P. Nygh, “The Hague Marriage Convention – A Sleeping Beauty?”, in A. Borrás c.s. E Pluribus Umum, Liber Amicorum Georges A.L. Droz (1996), pp. 253-269, and, in a wider context, P. Lagarde, “Développements futurs du droit international privé dans une Europe en voie d’unification: quelques conjectures”, in RabelsZ. (2004), pp. 225-243. 50 . The Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption is now in force for 68 States. 51 . Art. 17(c). 52 . Art. 5(c) and 18. 53 . Art. 10-13. 54 . The United Nations Convention of 20 June 1956 on the Recovery Abroad of Maintenance. 55 . See “Progress report on the development of a new international instrument on the International Recovery of Child Support and other forms of Family Maintenance”, Prel. Doc. No 7 of March 2006 for the attention of the Special Commission of April 2006 on General Affairs and Policy of the Conference, with the attached “Tentative draft Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance”, Art. 6: “Central Authorities shall provide assistance (…) In particular, they shall (…) facilitate [collection and] expeditious transfer of maintenance payments”. - 75 - on International Protection of Children56 is another instrument with huge potential to assist countries worldwide in protecting the rights – both under private and under public law – of children on the move, including migrant children.

6. The work of the Hague Conference is, therefore, in more than one respect linked to the current search for governance in respect of international migration. On the one hand, the Conference, in order to reach its objective of progressively bridging differences between legal systems, has a clear interest in the establishment of more commonality of visions, objectives and practices in respect of international migration. This would strengthen the resolve of the international community to deal effectively with the many private international law aspects of international migration: international marriage and divorce, legal protection of children (including child abduction) and vulnerable adults (including migrating elderly people), marital property relations and inheritance, recovery of maintenance, etc. The wider ratification of the various Hague Conventions in those fields57 would, in turn, bring order and legal certainty to international migration and its consequences.

B. Possible use of certain techniques developed by the Hague Conference to certain aspects of international migration

7. On the other hand, the current debate on international migration might benefit from the fact that the Hague Conference has been a pioneer in creating innovative multilateral treaties, or Conventions, for the promotion of international co-operation in private international law matters relevant to international migration. These Conventions are based on a division of responsibilities between States, as well as on shared responsibilities, and aim at achieving practical results. Moreover, they have laid the groundwork for original “post-Convention”58 procedures and services, for assistance, monitoring and review, enabling the sharing of experiences and expertise among States parties, and their further development, made possible by progressive co-operation and growing confidence among treaty partners, other co-operating international organisations and the secretariat.

8. These treaties and the co-operative techniques based on them have proven their usefulness empirically, they have been a source of inspiration for other organisations, and some, including United Nations bodies,59 have recommended their use, most notably in the context of the international

56 . The Hague Convention of 19 October 1996 on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children. 57 . See, in particular, in addition to the Hague Conventions already mentioned: the Convention of 1 June 1970 on the Recognition of Divorces and Legal Separations, the Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the Convention of 13 January 2000 on the International Protection of Adults, the Convention of 14 March 1978 on the Law Applicable to Matrimonial Property Regimes, the Convention of 5 October 1961 on the Conflicts of Laws Relating to the Form of Testamentary Dispositions and the Convention of 1 August 1989 on the Law Applicable to Succession to the Estates of Deceased Persons. 58 . See “Post-Convention work, regional developments and the need for a systematic programme of training”, Prel. Doc. No 6 of March 2006 for the attention of the Special Commission of April 2006 on General Affairs and Policy of the Conference. 59 . Most notably the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has on many occasions recommended to States Parties to the United Nations Convention of 20 November 1989 on the Rights of the Child to join the Hague Conventions on protection of children. - 76 - protection of children involved in cross-border movements, including migration. Their original features include: a careful negotiation procedure prepared by solid scientific research with the participation of a core group of States, international organisations and non-governmental experts from the field; an agreed set of principles and rules on the co-ordination of the interplay of different legal systems; the requirement by the Convention of designation of a specific government body (Central Authority) with overall responsibility both internally and internationally – in relation to its foreign counterparts – for the implementation of the Conventions, and as a result, the establishment of a form of institutionalised direct international communication, sharing of information and co-operation coupled with internal co-ordination; and progressive confidence building by regular meetings of these government bodies, again in the presence of experts from the field.

9. It may be worth examining whether some of these techniques developed by the Hague Conference might be applied to certain specific policy issues in the field of international migration, as a useful complement to some of the approaches that are presently being offered or considered. It would seem that current thinking on ways to provide more governance to the issue of international migration tends to focus either on a comprehensive and detailed regulation of the rights and obligations of migrants or on the reinforcement of the responsibilities of international organisations. There may be room to reflect more on ways to assist States in progressively better co-ordinating, at the internal level, some aspects of their policies regarding international migration, while at the same time developing, at the international level, forms of institutionalised direct co-operation among them, in respect of certain practical issues along the lines of the Hague approach. It might well be that such a course, which need not conflict at all with the two models currently most advocated, would be relatively easy to accept, would be not too difficult to realise, and would then have useful spin-off effects on other aspects of international migration.

II. Some of the dilemmas of international migration facing the countries involved as well as migrants and their families60

A. A changing reality

10. It was not so long ago that industrialised countries generally pursued an active policy of attracting workers from less affluent parts of the world. While some of these countries did so on the basis of temporary labour contracts, avoiding creating any expectation of permanent establishment or even integration, many other countries attracting foreign workers did not set time limits, and allowed the workers’ families from overseas to join them under certain conditions, which led to permanent establishment, to family reunification, and to larger or lesser degrees of integration of these persons in those countries. Although irregular forms of international migration also occurred, they were not generally perceived as posing a major problem to these countries, because the influx of foreigners was generally welcomed. Refugee and asylum questions were seen as distinct issues, and dealt with under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.

11. More recently, many developed countries have become more reticent, and in some cases unfavourably disposed, to admitting foreigners to their labour market. There are several reasons for this. In the wake of diminishing employment opportunities the admittance of foreigners to the labour market may be seen as a threat to local workers. Governments may be concerned about additional

60 . For a more complete analysis, see the Report cited in footnote 1, especially Chapters I-III. This Note largely draws upon this Report, but focuses on cross-border aspects. - 77 - security risks, or negative attitudes of the electorate. At the same time, paradoxically, the private sector may be demanding more flexibility to recruit foreign workers, and if this demand is not met, for example due to political resistance, decide to move an industry, or part of it, abroad, or resort to the services of subcontractors employing migrants with irregular status.

12. Even in times of diminishing employment, however, there are sectors of the economy, both at the low-income and at the high-income knowledge-based side (health, education, IT), which can only function with the help of foreign labour. That is why many developed countries are facing the dilemma of either making certain exceptions to a restrictive admission policy, or tolerate, out of sheer economic necessity, a certain quantum of migrants with irregular status, and perhaps, after some time, regularise their status. The situation has been further complicated by the influx into many developed countries, for example in Europe, of persons seeking asylum, most of whom however do not qualify for refugee status, and many of whom are in reality economic migrants. This in turn, has an adverse effect on the way countries implement their obligations under the UN Refugee Convention, to the detriment of those who do qualify for protection as persons fearing persecution.

13. If one looks at the issue from the perspective of the international migrants – women and men – and the countries from which they migrate, the current situation is no less complex. The main forces that are driving international migration are differences in development, demography and democracy. As the divide in living standards between affluent and poor regions continues to grow, and a migrant can easily earn many times more in the industrialised part of the world than at home, the incentive for migration towards the industrialised regions increases. Demographic differences reinforce this trend: while fertility rates in the industrialised countries tend to fall below the replacement rate (2.12 per woman) and their populations are getting older, the population growth in the developing regions continues, with the result that an increasing percentage of the global labour force will come from those regions. The democratic deficit in certain developing countries, in the face of rising but unfulfilled expectations with the younger generation, is an additional factor causing many young people to migrate to countries where they can exercise their rights as free citizens.

14. It is often entrepreneurial people, those who have some education, bright and capable women and men, who set out to migrate. Some are in a position to exercise the skills they have also in their country of origin but choose to improve their living standards or level of knowledge or skills by moving abroad. Most, however, migrate essentially out of necessity rather than free choice. Many might have stayed in their country where they have their roots and where they would have preferred to develop their full human potential including their socio-cultural identity, if the economic, social and political climate in their homeland were not so hopeless. Moreover, when they leave their country they do so often under very difficult circumstances and at great personal cost, even risking their lives.

B. Temporary or “circular” migration

15. For countries of origin, the departure of migrants may have both adverse and positive effects. Clearly, migration may mean a relief to countries that have an excess of labour supply. Losing bright and skilled people forever may, however, weaken the country’s prospects for development. It is well known, for example, that the loss of professional personnel in the health sector as a result of migration to wealthier countries has had a very serious negative impact on the delivery of health services in some parts of Africa. A similar trend may be noted in the field of education. The result is a downward spiral with an adverse impact on the development of the countries of origin concerned. In - 78 - contrast, these countries will draw great benefits from those migrants who return, if only temporarily, and bring the knowledge, skills and contacts they have gained abroad. Measures to promote temporary, “circular” migration are therefore of great importance, and they will be most effective when based on common understanding and co-operation between countries of origin and countries of destination. Several Asian countries, for example, have recognised the developmental opportunities of this form of migration and it is estimated that each year some two million Asian people leave their countries to work abroad under short-term contracts.

C. Remittances61

16. To many countries of origin, remittances sent home by international migrants are an increasingly important source of income. In 2004, Mexico received 16,000 $ million, India almost 10,000 $ million, and the Philippines 8,500 $ million worth of such remittances. To some smaller countries remittances represent a share of 20% or even 30% of their GDP. It is estimated that they almost triple the official development assistance to low-income countries, and come second as a source of external funding after foreign direct investment. They also come at a price, however. They involve social costs when family and community structures fall apart as a result of international migration. They may discourage economic reform in the countries of origin and may reinforce inequalities between households that do and those that may not count on remittances. Temporary labour migration, although not free from problems, may assist in avoiding some of the drawbacks of remittances by permanent emigrants.

17. International remittances may find hurdles on their way: unavailability of accessible formal financial channels, high banking fees, and unfair exchange rates, among others. To the extent that the money is being transferred through formal financial channels remittances, in addition to benefiting the direct recipients, also provide foreign exchange to countries of origin, and reinforce the financial sector (both in countries of destination and in countries of origin). But this assumes that migrants and recipients alike have access to these channels at acceptable costs. If not, they may resort to informal and clandestine channels, which may be intertwined with money laundering activities, involve more risks for the individuals concerned, and yield less indirect benefits to the economies, in particular of the countries of origin. Better regulation and co-ordination at the internal level combined with international co-operation and monitoring at the international plane could raise the micro as well as the macro benefits of international remittances.

D. Trafficking and smuggling

18. Due to the dynamic and changing nature of international migration, the distinction between countries of origin and of destination is not clear-cut. There are countries that fall in both categories, or have become transit countries (there number is growing), and, as migration patterns change, a country of immigration may become a country of emigration, a country of emigration may become a transit country, etc. All three types of countries, however, and, above all the individual victims themselves, are currently faced with appalling abuses as a result of the involvement of traffickers and

61 . See B. Ghosh, “Myths, rhetoric and realities: migrants’ remittances and development”, paper prepared at the request of the Hague Process on Refugees and Migration and the International Organisation for Migration (2006), and D. Sriskandarajah, “Migration and development”, a paper prepared for the Global Commission on International Migration (< www.gcim.org/en/ir_experts.html >). - 79 - unscrupulous agents in the movement of people across international borders. Trafficking involves the coercive or deceptive transfer of people independent of their will for purposes of exploitation, whereas smuggling is a consensual transaction for the purpose of circumventing immigration controls. But in practice the two may be combined, or may be difficult to distinguish. While the criminal fight against these abuses, within and between the countries involved, will continue to require great efforts, these efforts could be assisted by the further development of legal machinery for the regulation and licensing of intermediaries involved in the recruitment of migrant workers, in particular in the context of temporary labour programmes. International co-operation at the administrative level and monitoring of the licensing system could serve this development.

III. Current international initiatives to bring governance to the issue of international migration

19. International migration is a major issue at the global, the regional, the national and often even at the local level. Because it is such an all-pervasive issue, it is important to study and discuss it in its full dimensions in order to be well understood. The recent Report (October 2005) of the Global Commission on International Migration (CGIM) commissioned by a core group of States and presented to the Secretary General of the United Nations is an excellent example of such a comprehensive and thorough study and discussion. This Report has the additional merit of looking forward and suggesting directions for possible solutions. While study, research and discussion need to include all ramifications of the issue, the search for effective solutions need not be all encompassing from the start. Indeed, this search may be more promising if it focuses on specific aspects in respect of which progress could realistically be made, provided one does not loose sight of the overall picture and takes into account the general directions which should guide the search for solutions generally.

20. The CGIM notes several recent initiatives of States to co-operate internationally – at the bilateral, regional and global level – on international migration. It also notes, however, the connection that exists between national policies on international migration and efforts to respond at the multilateral institutional level. If national policies are not adequate, international policies risk being inadequate. At the national level, lack of coherence – between migration policies and other fields, in particular economy and development; lack of co-ordination of policy-making and implementation – for example between too many ministries; lack of capacity – in particular in the poorest countries; and lack of co- operation with other States, notwithstanding that “[t]he very nature of trans-national migration demands international co-operation and shared responsibility”62 are still widespread. If the promotion of co-ordination at the national level, involving various stakeholders can be institutionally linked with sustained direct international co-operation between States – as is done by the treaty techniques developed by the Hague Conference – then these two major objectives will reinforce each other.

21. There is no lack, at the global level, of treaties providing normative frameworks that affect or are specially designed to protect international migrants. They include the UN universal human rights instruments, various ILO Conventions, the 1993 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the two Protocols on trafficking in persons and on migrant smuggling to the 2000 UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, and, in particular, the UN International Convention of 18 December 1990 on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which includes many of the provisions found in the other treaties mentioned. Although the 1990 Convention

62 . Report (footnote 1), Ch. Six, No 6, p. 66. - 80 - came into force on 1 July 2003, after ratification by 30 States, and is presently in force among 34 States,63 States from the industrialised world in particular have been hesitant to join this Convention, one important reason being that the Convention contains detailed rules applying to all migrants, and does not allow differentiation between migrants who move in a regular and those who move in an irregular manner, nor between migrants who settle permanently and temporary workers. Pending further developments with regard to the 1990 Convention, complementary initiatives are called for.

22. At the global level important informal initiatives are under way. The Commission on International Migration built on pioneering work done in the context of the Berne Initiative’s International Agenda for Migration Management, and the Hague Process on Refugees and Migration which is a follow-up to the Declaration of The Hague on the Future of Refugee and Migration Policy.64 At the global institutional level, a UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants has been appointed. The ILO, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), UNHCR, among others, have initiated important programmes and dialogues. The UN General Assembly will hold a High-Level Dialogue on Migration and Development later in 2006. Co-ordination of all these initiatives is clearly of utmost importance, and the debate continues on the possibility to bring, in the longer term, these various activities under the umbrella of one organisation, be it a new agency, merging UNHCR and IOM, bringing IOM into the UN system, etc. At the regional level, the European Council agreed in November 2004 on the Hague Programme for Strengthening Freedom, Security and Justice in the European Union, with important orientations concerning partnerships with third countries and regions of origin and transit.65 At this point, however, it would seem that there is not at the global level consensus on the introduction of an effective governance system for international migration.

IV. Possible application of some “Hague” co-operation techniques to specific issues of international migration

23. The phenomenon of international migration is of such scale and complexity that progress in terms of international governance at the global level may well be best achieved incrementally. This would suggest that efforts should be made to identify certain areas, where there may be a sufficient commonality of interest and support among a core group of countries of origin, transit and destination, to establish, for those areas, a multilateral legal framework, that would define certain responsibilities of the States parties, create a mechanism for regular mutual information and co- operation to implement those responsibilities, provide for regular review meetings, and permit further development on that basis. The focus should be on cross-border aspects, where the need and justification for international co-operation are obvious.

Subject to further study, research and discussion, the following might be some of these areas:

63 . See < www.ohchr.org/english/countries/ratification/13.htm >. 64 . See < www.thehagueprocess.org/activities/declaration/samenvatting.htm >. 65 . See also “Towards a common European Union immigration policy”: < www.europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/fsj/immigration/fsj_immigration_intro_en.htm >, and Green paper on "An EU approach to managing economic migration": < www.europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/doc_centre/immigration/work/doc/com_2004_811_en.pdf >. - 81 -

a. Co-operation in the implementation of temporary labour migration programmes agreed between countries of origin and countries of destination. b. Co-operation to ensure the orderly return and resettlement of migrants in other cases where this return is agreed between countries of origin and countries of destination. c. Co-operation in establishing and monitoring a system of licensing and regulation of intermediaries involved in facilitating international migration. d. Co-operation with regard to facilitating the easy and low-cost transfer of remittances sent home by international migrants.

A. Co-operation on temporary labour migration programmes

24. As we have seen,66 temporary and circular labour migration programmes are widely used among some countries in particular in Asia. While traditional immigration countries may continue to prefer permanent arrangements, temporary programmes are likely to appeal increasingly to countries of destination faced with public opposition against increased permanent immigration, but also to countries of origin which may gain more from migrants who return sharing their know how and resources acquired abroad than when they stay abroad.67 In order to implement such programmes, and to protect the interests of the migrants concerned, both countries of origin and receiving countries must assume certain responsibilities, and consult and co-operate on a regular basis. For example, countries of origin should ensure that such migrants will be well documented, will be free to leave the country, be assisted in keeping contact with their families, and have the right to return and re- integrate there. Countries of destination should provide full information to the migrants, prior to their departure from the country of origin, about their rights and duties and employment conditions, provide the necessary visas, provide work permits, monitor the implementation of work and residence permits, etc. A responsible designated governmental body (in “Hague Conference” terms: a Central Authority) in each country would co-ordinate the implementation of the programme internally, and communicate and co-operate with its counterparts in the other treaty countries in order to ensure the implementation of the programme internationally. Regular consultations and review meetings among these governmental bodies, with the participation of representatives of international organisations, employers’ organisations, trade unions, migrant organisations, etc. would promote the exchange of practical experience, lead to better understanding, allow good practices to be developed.

B. Co-operation on orderly return and resettlement

25. Outside temporary labour migration programmes, there may be other instances where a multilateral legal framework, based on mutually agreed principles could bring benefits. Where migrants have an irregular status and their return is appropriate, their orderly return should be facilitated where possible on a voluntary basis. This will be easier when countries of origin and of destination agree on return schemes, and co-operate in implementing them. They may also agree to co-operate in certain cases where compulsory return is the only appropriate option. Countries of

66 . Supra, No 15. 67 . The Report of the Global Commission on International Migration makes a strong case for the design of effective temporary migration programmes. It argues that “the old paradigm of permanent migrant settlement is progressively giving away to temporary and circular migration” and underlines the “developmental opportunities this provides for countries of origin” (Ch. II, No 42, p. 31). - 82 - destination need to ensure that returns of migrants are arranged with full respect for their human rights. Countries of origin should make consular services available to their nationals who are subject to removal, and on their return should re-admit them to their territory. The designated responsible government body could provide the internal co-ordination and international exchange of information and co-operation. Regular review meetings of these governmental bodies, with the participation of international organisations, migrant associations and other stakeholders, would gradually improve international understanding and practical co-operation in this area. Such meetings could also be useful to exchange experiences with development assistance programmes that are increasingly used to support the resettlement and durable re-integration of returning migrants.

C. Co-operation on licensing and regulation of intermediaries

26. Trafficking (without the consent of the victim) and smuggling (with the migrant’s consent) – as noted above,68 the two cannot always be neatly distinguished in practice – can only be effectively combated through multilateral co-operation between countries of origin, countries of destination, and transit countries. While criminal prosecution is an essential component in the fight to reduce these crimes and negative practices,69 in an incremental approach as envisaged here, a multilateral framework might start at the other end, and develop a system of licensing and regulating the activities of agents involved in the recruiting of foreign workers. A parallel may be drawn here with the Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention, which, among other objectives, seeks “to establish a system of co- operation amongst Contracting States to ensure that [the] safeguards [established by the Convention] are respected and thereby prevent the abduction, the sale of, or traffic of children”, and to that end provides basic rules on the conditions under which adoption agents (“bodies”) may be accredited by each Contracting State, on the criteria they should meet, the authorisation they need in order to act in other Contracting States, as well as for the notification of their names and addresses to the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference.70 In a similar manner, countries of origin and of destination of international migrants might agree on certain minimum requirements as to expertise, experience, financial structure and objectives, and supervision to which any agencies involved in the recruitment of international migrants should be subject, and establish a system of licensing on that basis. Licensing and supervising the agents might be the responsibility of the government bodies designated under the treaty framework.71 Regular review meetings, with the participation of other international organisations, migrant associations, etc, would accumulate experiences with the licensing and regulation system, contribute to regularising international migration and, by clarifying positive standards, facilitate the co-ordinated fight through criminal law against breaches of these standards.

D. Co-operation with regard to facilitating international remittances

27. As we have seen,72 remittances sent home by international migrants are critical as a major source of income for many countries of origin, and their importance continues to grow fast. Of course, they are private money, and are not to be appropriated by States. However, there is a role for States to see

68 . Supra, No 18. 69 . See, for example, R. v. Wacker [2002] EWCA Crim 1944 (31 July 2002). 70 . Art. 1(b) and 10-13. 71 . See Report (footnote 1), Ch. One, No 34, p. 18, “careful consideration [must be given inter alia to] licensing and regulating the activities of agents involved in the recruitment of temporary migrants”. 72 . Supra, Nos 16 and 17. - 83 - to it that these money transfers are not unduly regulated, or made difficult or expensive by the formal banking channels. If easy access is provided to these channels, their fees are fair and the exchange rates they are offering reasonable, then their use will be promoted. As an additional benefit, the risk that migrants and their dependents will resort to clandestine, money laundering networks will be reduced. The designated responsible government bodies in countries of destination should take steps to facilitate access to and ensure transparency of the financial market, and those in countries of origin should make sure that families, in particular in remote areas, have access to financial services and receive their money. Assistance may be given to counsel migrants, recipients and communities in countries of origin to make effective use of remittances. Some bilateral agreements (for example, between the Netherlands and Morocco) already provide for such arrangements. Regular review meetings of these governmental bodies with the participation of international organisations, representatives of the financial sector, micro-finance organisations, migrant associations, etc. would yield valuable information on current practices, promote better procedures, stimulate new initiatives, etc. They might also promote collective remittances that may benefit whole communities rather than individual households, and stimulate matching funds from public sources. If successful, this form of international co-operation might be extended to other critical financial issues of international migration, including the problem of the transferability (portability) of social security and pensions rights in case migrants return home.

V. Conclusion

28. It may be that further study and discussion will show that dealing with the four areas mentioned above in one multilateral treaty is too ambitious, or, on the contrary, that other areas might conveniently be added. Indeed, other areas than the four mentioned above might turn out to be promising, or more promising, as the focus of a multilateral co-operative system. The purpose of this Note is to invite reflection on whether the Hague experience might be usefully applied to some issues at the heart of international migration, a phenomenon that conditions so much of the work of the Hague Conference.

29. It should be stressed that the Note does neither attempt to deal specifically with refugee issues, nor to revise or replace the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. On the contrary, the idea would be to create a separate, freestanding framework that will address problems of international economic migrants for which the Refugee instruments were not designed. Indeed, if successful, such a framework could contribute to restoring the refugee instruments to their original purpose of taking care of refugees fleeing persecution. - 84 -

Hans van Loon

MIGRACIÓN INTERNACIONAL: POR UN NUEVO MODELO DE GOBERNANZA MULTILATERAL

En complemento de la presente sesión especial de la Organización de Estados Americanos sobre el tema de migrantes, el Diálogo de Alto Nivel sobre la Migración Internacional y el Desarrollo que sostuvo la Organización de las Naciones Unidas y el Foro de Migrantes de la Secretaría General Iberoamericana, entre otros foros internacionales, confirma que la migración internacional figura actualmente entre los temas prioritarios de la agenda política internacional, e indica que ésta se ha convertido en un elemento crucial de la globalización. El Diálogo, como la Conferencia Ministerial Euroafricana llevada a cabo el 10 y 11 de julio en Rabat, Marruecos, se concentrará en la relación entre migración y desarrollo. Actualmente, es generalmente aceptado que las desigualdades en materia de desarrollo, además de aquellas democráticas y demográficas (las “3D”), son las fuerzas motrices de la migración internacional. De esta manera, mejorar las condiciones económicas y sociales en los países de origen de los migrantes es uno de los más grandes y próximos desafíos que deberá afrontar la comunidad internacional.

No obstante, la buena noticia es que la migración internacional, bajo algunas de sus repercusiones y en algunas de sus formas puede, por sí misma, contribuir al desarrollo. Bajo algunas de sus repercusiones: las remesas de los migrantes hacia los países en desarrollo han aumentado de forma impresionante en los últimos años, casi triplican la asistencia oficial para el desarrollo de los países de bajo ingreso y constituyen la segunda fuente de financiamiento externo después de la inversión extranjera directa. Y en algunas de sus formas: los programas para los migrantes temporales son cada vez más reconocidos como benéficos tanto para los países de acogida como para los países de origen. Los migrantes a su regreso llevan consigo a sus países de origen los beneficios del conocimiento, los recursos y los contactos que han adquirido en el extranjero. Respecto del trabajo cualificado, la “fuga de cerebros” – particularmente perjudicial en materia de asistencia médica y educación en los países pobres – podría ceder el paso a una “circulación de cerebros”.

La reunión de la ONU dio un nuevo ímpetu a la creación de una estructura global que se ocupe de manera eficaz de algunos aspectos de la migración internacional. Ciertamente es necesario llegar a un acuerdo con respecto a “las mejores prácticas”, pero para que éstas funcionen necesitan estar sostenidas por una estructura de cooperación permanente. Dicha estructura deberá concentrarse en aspectos específicos de la migración, tales como los recién mencionados, pues la cuestión en su conjunto es de tales dimensiones y complejidad que un avance sólo puede hacerse de manera progresiva. Además, toda estructura de gobernanza (gestión) global deberá tomar en cuenta las preocupaciones relacionadas con el menoscabo de la soberanía y el aumento de susceptibilidades políticas. Éstas son singularmente fuertes en la parte industrializada del mundo, donde se tiende a favorecer a las políticas unilaterales más que a la cooperación global, no obstante la naturaleza intrínsecamente mundial de la cuestión.

El problema con algunos de los modelos actualmente en discusión para la gestión global es que estos son considerados como no suficientemente específicos o excesivamente ambiciosos. Por ejemplo, la Convención Internacional de las Naciones Unidas de 18 de diciembre de 1990 sobre la Protección de los Derechos de todos los Trabajadores Migratorios y de sus Familiares, ha sido criticada, especialmente por parte de los países industrializados, porque no permite distinguir entre - 85 - los migrantes regulares y los irregulares, o entre aquellos permanentes o temporales. El resultado es que aún no ha sido ratificada por ninguna nación industrializada. Al mismo tiempo, ha sido acogido con poco entusiasmo el llamado para una reestructuración de fondo de las actuales instituciones internacionales que se ocupan de migración (el Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos, la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones, la Organización Internacional del Trabajo). Por consiguiente, tampoco es probable que haya progresos en este frente.

Sin embargo, existe una estrategia alternativa tanto para al catálogo de los derechos de los migrantes, cuya implementación es ampliamente dejada a cargo de los Estados individuales – la Convención de las Naciones Unidas de 1990 – como para los planes para fortalecer o fusionar las funciones de las organizaciones internacionales. Dicha estrategia ha probado su eficacia en cuestiones relacionadas con la migración tales como las relaciones familiares transfronterizas, en particular, la sustracción de los menores por parte de sus progenitores y la adopción internacional de los menores. Para cada uno de estos temas hay actualmente exitosos instrumentos globales multilaterales (los Convenios de La Haya sobre sustracción de menores y sobre adopción internacional) que han creado formas permanentes de cooperación directa entre los países involucrados, con obligaciones bien definidas establecidas para cada una de las partes. La responsabilidad primordial de cooperación se sitúa en un organismo central gubernamental en cada país (Autoridad Central). Dentro de cada país es dicho organismo, el cual, con la participación de diferentes partes interesadas, garantiza la coherencia de la política interna. El Convenio relativo a la adopción también vincula la operación de intermediarios privados en la adopción a un sistema de licencias. La promoción de la coordinación a nivel nacional está de tal modo institucionalmente vinculada con la cooperación internacional directa y continua entre los países, con el objetivo de alcanzar resultados prácticos. Es importante señalar, que los Convenios de La Haya relativos a la sustracción y la adopción han sido ampliamente ratificados.

Las reuniones de estas autoridades centrales y otras partes interesadas celebradas regularmente en el Palacio de la Paz de La Haya permiten el intercambio de experiencias, fomentan la confianza mutua y contribuyen al desarrollo de buenas prácticas. Se enfatiza la prevención a través de la cooperación utilizando técnicas de derecho civil y administrativo, a fin de reducir la necesidad de represión penal posterior. Los excesos burocráticos se mantienen bajo supervisión mutua y constante. De tal manera, el mecanismo multilateral para la cooperación transfronteriza es progresivamente revisado y su funcionamiento mejorado –a costos notablemente bajos. El mismo método está siendo aplicado en las negociaciones que se siguen actualmente respecto de un nuevo instrumento global, que será completado en el 2007, para mejorar el cobro internacional de alimentos con respecto a los niños y otros miembros de la familia.

Es interesante examinar si este modelo “de La Haya” pudiese funcionar en relación con algunos aspectos de la migración internacional, en particular, aquellos donde la cooperación transfronteriza es crucial. Considérese, por ejemplo, a la migración laboral temporal. Pareciera obvio que debe estar siempre basada en una estrecha cooperación entre los países de origen y de acogida, con obligaciones claramente definidas para cada parte y canales de comunicación y cooperación para garantizar el éxito del programa – desde el reclutamiento, vía la colocación y admisión, hasta la salvaguarda de un organizado retorno del migrante. Los acuerdos en materia de migración laboral temporal son relativamente raros todavía, lo cual inevitablemente le resta valor a la eficiencia del programa. Esto debería ser un incentivo para intentar negociar, con la participación de todos los interesados, una estructura global para promover esquemas eficaces de migración temporal. - 86 -

Obviamente, tal estructura deberá definir solamente las responsabilidades fundamentales y proporcionar el mecanismo de cooperación indispensable. Los detalles podrían reglamentarse en acuerdos bilaterales (tal como sucede con los instrumentos “de La Haya”).

Fuera de los programas de migración laboral temporal, bien podría haber otras instancias en las cuales el enfoque “de La Haya” traería beneficios, por ejemplo, cuando existe un acuerdo de base entre los países implicados sobre el regreso de los migrantes irregulares. El tráfico y contrabando de migrantes son otros ejemplos: existe la clara necesidad de desarrollar un sistema concertado y eficaz de autorización y reglamentación para las actividades de los agentes que reclutan a los trabajadores extranjeros. Finalmente, la efectividad de las remesas puede ser perfeccionada si, a través de una estructura de cooperación internacional, se reducen las redes de transferencia clandestinas, se facilita el acceso a los canales bancarios regulares y reuniones periódicas para revisar la estructura ayudan a promover mejores procedimientos y nuevas iniciativas.

¿Es ingenuo pensar que lo que se ha logrado en algunas cuestiones relacionadas con la migración pueda ser aplicado para algunos aspectos de la migración internacional en sí misma? ¡No lo sabremos mientras no lo intentemos! - 87 -

Hans van Loon

MANAGING INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION: TIME FOR A NEW APPROACH

Along with the present Organization of American States session on migration, the United Nations recently held a High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development and the Iberoamerican Secretariat a comprehensive summit on the topic. These and other important meeting confirm that international migration has risen to the top of the global policy agenda, and clearly signals that it has become a key issue in the globalisation process. The Dialogue, like the Euro- African Ministerial conference held in Rabat, Morocco, on 10 and 11 July, 2006, focused on the relation between migration and development. There is a near consensus now that differences in development, along with those in democracy and demography (the “3D’s”), are the principal forces driving international migration. Improving economic and social conditions in the home countries of migrants is one of the major challenges ahead.

The good news is that international migration, in some of its effects and some of its forms, may itself contribute to development. In some of its effects: remittances by migrants into developing countries have jumped spectacularly in recent years. They almost triple the official development assistance to low-income countries, and come second as a source of external funding behind foreign direct investment. And in some of its forms: temporary migration programs are increasingly recognized as beneficial to both receiving countries and countries of origin. Returning migrants bring to their home country the benefits of the knowledge, resources and contacts they have acquired abroad. For skilled labour, “brain drain” – particularly detrimental to health care and education in poor countries – may give way to “brain circulation”.

The United Nations General Assembly meeting in September provided a new impetus to the creation of a global framework to deal effectively with some aspects of international migration. Reaching agreement on “best practices” is certainly needed, but in order to work they need to be supported by a permanent co-operative framework. This framework should focus on specific aspects of migration, such as those just mentioned, because the issue as a whole is of such scale and complexity that progress can only be made incrementally. Moreover, any global governance framework should be responsive to concerns about loss of sovereign control and rising political sensitivities. These are particularly strong in the industrialized part of the world, and they tend to favour unilateral policies rather than global co-operation – notwithstanding the inherently global nature of the issue.

The difficulty with some of the models currently on the table for global governance is that they are viewed as not specific enough or as overly ambitious. The 1990 UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, for example, has been criticized, especially by industrialized countries, for not allowing differentiation between regular and irregular migrants, nor between permanent and temporary migrants. The result: it has not yet been ratified by a single industrialized nation. At the same time, the call for a fundamental overhaul of the current international institutions dealing with migration (UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, International Migration Organisation, International Labour Organisation) has met with little enthusiasm. Movement on this front is, therefore, not likely either. - 88 -

There is, however, an alternative approach to either a catalogue of migrants’ rights, largely left for their implementation to individual States – the 1990 UN Convention –, or to plans to reinforce or merge the functions of international organisations. This approach has proven its effectiveness in migration-related matters such as cross-border family relations. Regulating parental child abduction and intercountry adoption of children offer examples. For each of these issues, successful multilateral global instruments are now in place (the Hague Conventions on Child Abduction and on Intercountry Adoption), which have created permanent forms of direct co-operation between the countries concerned, with well-defined obligations set out for each side. Primary responsibility for the co- operation lies with a central government body in each country. Within each country this body, with the involvement of various stakeholders, ensures coherence of internal policies. The Adoption Convention also ties the operation of private adoption intermediaries to a licensing system. Promotion of co-ordination at the national level is thus institutionally linked with sustained direct international co-operation between countries, aimed at achieving practical results. The Abduction and Adoption Conventions have been widely ratified.

Regular meetings of these central authorities and other stakeholders at the Hague Peace Palace allow for the exchange of experiences, the building of mutual trust, and the development of good practices. Emphasis lies on prevention through co-operation using techniques of civil and administrative law, to reduce the need for repression through criminal prosecution afterwards. Bureaucratic excrescences are kept under constant mutual scrutiny. In this way, the multilateral machinery for cross-border co-operation is progressively reviewed, and made even more efficient – at remarkably low cost. The same approach is being followed in the current Hague negotiations on a new global instrument, to be completed in 2007, to improve the cross-border recovery of child support and other forms of family maintenance.

It is worth examining whether this “Hague” model could work for some aspects of international migration, those where cross-border co-operation is critical. Take, for example, temporary labour migration. It would seem obvious that this should always be based on close co- operation between countries of origin and of destination, with clearly defined obligations on each side, and channels for communication and co-operation to ensure the success of the program – from recruitment, via placement and admission, to safeguarding the orderly return of the migrant. Yet, agreements on temporary labour migration are relatively rare, which inevitably detracts from the program’s efficiency. This should be an incentive to try and negotiate, with the participation of all concerned, a global framework to promote efficient temporary migration schemes. Of course, such a framework should only define basic responsibilities, and provide for the essential co-operative machinery. The details could be left to bilateral arrangements (as is the case for “Hague” instruments).

Outside temporary labour migration programs, there may well be other instances where a “Hague” approach could bring benefits, for example where there is basic agreement between the countries involved about the return of migrants with an irregular status. Trafficking and smuggling of migrants are another example: there is a clear need for the development of an agreed and effective system of licensing and regulating the activities of agents involved in the recruiting of foreign workers. Finally, the effectiveness of remittances may be improved if, through an international co- operation framework, clandestine money networks are reduced, access to formal banking channels is facilitated, and regular meetings to review the framework help to promote better procedures and new initiatives. - 89 -

Is it naïve to think that what has been achievable in some migration-related matters can be done for some aspects of international migration itself? We won’t know until we have tried! - 90 -

Berta Fernández – International Organization for Migration

On behalf of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), I would like to thank Ambassador Osmar Chohfi and the Committee on Judicial and Political Affairs for the invitation to present IOM’s best practices and activities at this forum today.

Over the years, IOM has accumulated an important amount of material and knowledge on the international legal norms and principles that protect the human rights of migrants and regulate migration. Both sets of norms are jointly referred to as international migration law (IML). So far, the normative approach to migration has put emphasis on the rights of persons involved in migration. Reference is also frequently made to principles and standards deriving from State sovereignty and having a direct bearing on the management of migration: right to protect borders, to confer nationality, to admit and expel foreigners, to combat trafficking and smuggling, to safeguard national security. States’ rights and obligations in their mutual relationship (duty to cooperate, to readmit nationals) are less well defined and are treated in isolation.

Many conventions exist at the universal and regional levels on rights of migrants, but these instruments are spread across various branches of law (human rights, humanitarian law, migrant workers, and refugee law). This dispersion of norms contributes to the widespread belief that there are important gaps in the set of norms protecting migrants and/or regulating migration. Moreover, there is sometimes uncertainty about the exact content or intent of these instruments and lack of knowledge as to the status of their ratification and implementation by States. A further related issue is the still insufficient dissemination of information about the rights and duties to be enjoyed or respected by all migrants and, at all levels in national administrations, of the international norms to be applied by migration officials. IOM believes that the Inter-American Program could be a good vehicle to disseminate that information and make a difference.

In the past year, IOM has been involved in a number of technical cooperation projects that are geared towards a de facto protection of the human rights of migrants and members of their families:

Return Assistance to Migrants73

In 2005, 18,941 Honduran migrants were voluntarily assisted to return from the United States, and 20,318 migrants (16,937 men 2,860 women and 521 minors) being returned so far this year. IOM and its partners meet the returning migrants at Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula Airports and provide initial assistance such as shelter or onward transport to their places of origin, food, medical care, clothing, as well as legal and psychosocial counseling. Those migrants who wish to return to school or to join vocational training programs and micro-credit schemes are supported, and assisted in their job search.

73 . These types of programs are particularly relevant as an alternative to forced return. In the case of irregular migrants not allowed to remain in the host country, voluntary return assistance balances the need for the migrant to avoid the stigma of deportation and legal exclusion from future return to the country of destination, with the need of host countries to manage their migration issues in the most humane and cost-effective way possible. Voluntary return may also be a choice for persons who have been served “notice to leave the country” and who are threatened with forced removal. - 91 -

In Mexico, irregular migrants from outside of the Americas (primarily from Asia) are assisted to go back home, if they so wish.

Counter-Trafficking

We all know that in the migration process, migrants are exposed to exploitation, in the form of trafficking in persons. Indeed, the complexity of human trafficking requires targeted training and capacity building at a variety of levels, from victim service providers to government officials and law enforcement. A series of four counter-trafficking training modules were published in English, and they have been translated into Spanish. I have brought some brochures in both languages for you to look at the information more in detail. The next three topics in the series currently under development are: Children, Direct Assistance, and Victim Identification and Interviewing Techniques. They all are adaptable to the group’s specific context, and participants obtain an excellent introduction to each topic, which is essential to a comprehensive, rights-based approach to counter- trafficking.

In Argentina, the second phase of a counter-trafficking Capacity Building project is being implemented (FOINTRA -Fortalecimiento Institucional en la Lucha contra la Trata de Personas en Argentina), in order to expand its scope to four additional provinces (Córdoba, Tucumán, Entre Ríos and Neuquén), in addition to the previous four (Jujuy, Misiones, Santa Cruz provinces and the City of Buenos Aires), which reached over 2,000 beneficiaries. The capacity-building component promotes the creation and institutionalization of regional/provincial counter trafficking inter-institutional boards (including parliamentary representatives, judicial and assistance operators) and provides technical assistance on prevention, prosecution and policy making related to trafficking. The training component targets governmental and non-governmental organizations and provides tools for planning, assessing and implementing counter trafficking actions and assistance to victims of trafficking, including the “Train the trainers” program to ensure the independent replication of training activities for federal government agencies. The public information component is designed to sensitize the public as regards the causes and risks of trafficking, as well as to strengthen the knowledge of trafficking as a crime which requires urgent action.

In the MERCOSUR countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay), Bolivia and Chile, IOM is implementing a counter-trafficking project with a twofold approach at the national and regional level. It has two components entailing better understanding of trafficking by means of a Regional Training Workshop and the development of specific research focusing on Maldonado (Punta del Este, Uruguay). The beneficiaries will be key stakeholders working with the prevention, protection, and prosecution of trafficking in persons, especially women and children for sexual exploitation purposes and child pornography issues.

In the Southern Cone, the Assistance to Victims of Trafficking Programme (AVOT) aims to assist victims through a multipronged strategy including: the protection, return and reintegration of victims of trafficking. To this end, the AVOT Programme employs a mechanism to promptly identify victims, after which the assistance component is implemented. This component was conceived as a flexible tool to be adjusted to the peculiarities of each case; as such it comprises medical assistance, psychological support, social assistance (basic consumption needs, food, and clothing), temporary shelter, legal advice, and assistance in personal documentation procedures, voluntary return to places of origin in safe conditions and the formulation of a social reintegration plan. - 92 -

Regarding referral of cases and in the absence of an assistance program at the national level to victims of trafficking, a wide range of Argentine authorities, diplomatic delegations and civil society organizations have requested IOM intervention.

Intervention strategies have been designed to take into account the particular situation of each case. Thus all individuals receive medical and psychological attention, in terms of a personalized assessment and acting with the victims themselves. Concerning the component linked to voluntary return, it implies facilitating the safe travel of victims of trafficking to their locations of origin. Prior to departure, a reintegration plan is coordinated with each individual covering the particular needs of the individual and a sum of money is allocated as a partial resettlement subsidy. In general the AVOT team assists the individuals before departure and reception is organized with IOM counterparts.

In terms of reinsertion actions for victims of trafficking in their countries of origin, these are coordinated by the AVOT-team and implemented by the several counterparts. Among the reinsertion actions, the following can be mentioned:

- Regarding the return of victims of sexual exploitation, mostly Paraguayan women, the formulation and implementation of reintegration plans were jointly managed with the Childhood and Adolescence Secretariat of Paraguay and the Women Secretariat.

- Regarding the return of victims of labour exploitation, articulation was mainly carried out with the IOM Office in La Paz, in charge of corresponding contacts with governmental and/or civil society counterparts which will be responsible for monitoring reinsertion. Similarly, but dealing with child victims of trafficking, activities were generally implemented with the Technical Coordination of the Ombudsman Offices for Children and Adolescents in La Paz which gives support and refers cases to relevant courts.

In the Triple Border (the confluence of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina in the general area of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay) efforts are under way to raise public awareness and increase knowledge on the risks and consequences of trafficking through dissemination of information. In this sense, an initial database with key stakeholders involved in counter-trafficking measures has been processed in order to ensure a common approach and to ensure sustainability once the completion of the project has been achieved. The support of the Secretariat of Children’s Rights of the Paraguayan Ministry of Education was obtained in the form of facilities to set up the project’s office in Ciudad del Este.

The IOM Regional Office in Lima, along with its partners the Inter American Development Bank and the offices of the First Ladies of Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador and Paraguay, are implementing the project “Regional Prevention of Trafficking and Smuggling in Children and Reinforcing their Knowledge About Sexual Reproductive Health”. It aims at combating the trafficking of children and raising awareness and educating on sexual and reproductive health issues. Related subjects, such as domestic violence, unwanted pregnancies, and sexual and reproductive health are included.

The 15 month project will make use of best practices of previous counter trafficking experiences in Peru. More than 100 teachers from each participating country will be trained on the - 93 - subject of human trafficking. The training is expected to have a multiplying effect, as this information will trickle down to more than 4,000 students in primary and secondary schools.

All participating schools will take part in a contest with the winner in each country becoming the national representative in charge of transferring the acquired knowledge. The project also aims to place the subject of human trafficking in school programs and on the public’s agenda.

Migration Dialogues

The Caribbean Regional Seminar on Migration 74

The sixth Regional Caribbean Seminar was organized by IOM, with the participation and support of the Government of the Netherlands Antilles, the United States State Department, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, as well as other regional and international organizations and expert institutions, such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the World Bank (WB), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO).

The participants discussed the migration and development link, including migrant remittances and migration data; brain drain of health professionals and migrant’s access to health, and facilitating the movement of persons while strengthening border security and preventing irregular migration and trafficking in persons.

The 6 th South-American Conference on Migration – Asunción May 2006

The 6th South American Conference on Migration (SCM) was hosted by Paraguay in Asunción in the month of May 2006. The participating South American states discussed and agreed to co-operate on a number of themes related to migration and development, including the promotion and respect for the human rights of migrants and measures to combat smuggling and trafficking of persons.

The Conference was convened by the Paraguayan Government during its pro-tempore Presidency and followed through with the collaboration of the IOM’s regional office in Buenos Aires, in its role of Technical Secretariat of the Conference. The outcome of the Conference was formally agreed in the Declaration of Asuncion and formed part of the region’s contribution to the UN High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development that took place in September 2006.

In view of the relevance the Sixth Conference attached to Human Rights and in accordance with the Declaration of Asuncion, IOM Buenos Aires arranged a seminar on “The Human Rights of Migrants – the Main Challenges in Argentina” under the auspices of the National Human Rights Secretariat and the Lower Chamber’s Commission on Human Rights. The objective of the Seminar

74 . Participants included government officials and experts from Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, The Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, The Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos, and representatives of observer governments and regional institutions. - 94 - was to analyze Argentina’s international commitments regarding the protection of human rights and migrants and to provide a space for reflection. Representatives from national and international agencies and civil society organizations attended the event.

Among the consolidation actions of the South American Conference process, the revision of the Plan of Action is set to proceed. Regarding the permanent activities of the Technical Secretariat, work continues on the re-formulation and improvement of the website of the South American Observatory on Migration (OSUMI).

The next and 7th South-American Conference is scheduled to take place in Venezuela in 2007. The Technical Secretariat, which functions under the auspices of the IOM’s regional office in Buenos Aires, looks forward to co-operating with the current Paraguayan and the up-coming Venezuelan pro-tempore presidencies of the Conference to convene a successful 7 th Conference that can further develop and strengthen South America’s response to the challenges facing the region in the area of migration.

The 16 th Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State and Government – Montevideo November 2006

The 16th Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State and Government was hosted by the Uruguay in Montevideo in November 2006. The theme of the summit was “Migration and Development”. In the Declaration of Montevideo the participating States agreed to intensify their interregional cooperation in the area of migration. They further agreed to promote and strengthen human rights as a central component of the migration policies and practices of states of origin, transit and destination.

Labor Migration

In Haiti, a labor migration project is looking into strengthening the capacity of the Government of Haiti (GoH) to provide support and protection to Haitian migrants that regularly take up short-term wage labor opportunities in neighbouring countries, and provide technical support to the GoH in understanding the internal processes that would need to be the basis for the formulation of bilateral labor migration agreements with neighbouring countries that are host to significant and growing numbers of Haitian labor migrants.

IOM is working with ministries and other governmental entities having migration management functions to deliberate on a national policy to guide labor migration from Haiti to the countries of region. We are making recommendations for the establishment of an institutional framework to guide the exportation of unskilled Haitian labor, taking account of both pre-departure and post-return needs, as well as addressing the process of migrant labor recruitment in Haiti and the regulatory options. Finally, such a framework will also look into the needs of these migrant workers in the countries of destination. These would best be responded to by having trained labor attachés at the GoH representations in these countries.

In Venezuela, through the Ministry of Labor, the Government of Venezuela asked IOM to develop a media campaign to address human rights of migrant workers and their families. As result - 95 - of the lack knowledge of their rights, migrant workers and their families are often the victims of exploitation, trafficking, smuggling and other violations of their human rights. The objective of this project is to design, in coordination with the Venezuelan Ministry of Labor a mass education campaign on the labor rights and duties of the migrants workers and their families, including human rights. This mass information campaign would inform migrant workers on their rights and duties as well as to the Institutions obligated to guarantee their rights.

The general objective of the project is to assist in the improvement of working conditions and life style of migrant workers and their families in Venezuela. The benefits of this project will go far beyond its original targets. We expect some of the main beneficiaries to include other social and political actors whose mission is to improve the living and working conditions for Venezuela’s migrant workers.

In Ecuador, IOM is strengthening the capacity of the Ecuadorian Government in managing migration to Spain and enhance the capacity of the Technical Selection Unit of Migratory Workers (TSUMW) to prepare those workers selected for positions in Spain for their personal and professional lives there. The long-term sustainability of this highly successful Unit was assured through the signing of a cooperative agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IOM in which the former commits to finance and assign the necessary funds to guarantee the operation of the Unit in the future.

The TSUMW registers and evaluates the background and work histories of those people 75 who aspire to immigrate to Spain in possession of a verified work position. The responsibility of the TSUMW is to interview the candidates, determine their aptitudes and qualifications, verify the certificates they present, and assign them an occupation code.

The TSUMW provides an essential service to Spanish companies by providing them with workers whose profiles meet the requirements of the positions offered. The database is not only filled by workers who present their curriculum vitae, but also by information broadcast through the media regarding those occupations most in demand, public and private trade unions and professional associations, and Ecuadorian workers registered with the Ministry of Labor and Human Resources.

In October 2003, the TSUMW began a process of conducting interviews using a video conference format with candidates that the Spanish businesses had pre-selected after receiving their curriculum vitae and background checks electronically. This allows businesses who only have a few work offers to interview workers without having to travel to Ecuador to interview the candidates.

The project designed and put into action a computerized system of shifts or turns that organizes the attention for workers throughout the entire selection process, which includes entering background information into the system, interviews, updating of information, signing of contracts, obtaining necessary documentation and/or arranging travel. Thus, the selection process has obtained a high level of security, transparency and control.

75 . The personal, family, work, educational, and migratory background information of each worker is stored in a digital filing system along with his/her corresponding digital photograph and ready to send electronically. The database currently has a registry of over 29,000 applicants. This database includes information regarding the age, sex, community of origin, technical skills, etc. of the applicants to the TSUMW. - 96 -

The selection process is an important step, but it does not guarantee the effective coverage of the job vacancies. IOM’s work, as the original agreement indicates, does not end with the selection of the worker, but continues with the support to the workers in obtaining the proper documentation (work and residence permission), signing of contracts, and arranging travel and reception in Spain.

Another important aspect of the support offered by IOM involves obtaining travel loans (through an operative agreement with the Banco Solidario), coordinating reservations, and the daily maintenance of lists of travelers and the process of transactions in which each one finds himself. These activities are important given that there are constant changes – both on the part of the workers as well as the businesses – which must be communicated and agreed upon by all parties involved, including the airlines, in order to avoid any penalties.

The project will add several new activities designed to lower costs, ensure future sustainability of the TSUMW, and contribute to preparing Ecuadorian workers for their personal and professional lives in Spain.

In Costa Rica, IOM is providing support to a program managed by the National University in Costa Rica aimed at improving the health of temporary migrant workers in Los Santos, Costa Rica by carrying out literacy classes for the indigenous Ngobe tribe who travel from Panama every year to work in the coffee harvest. The classes, which are funded by the US State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), include a handbook in Ngobe, created by a professor who has been working with the population for years. The class also includes information on health and human rights.

Conclusion

Our various undertakings try to address the many facets of migration. Be it facilitating regular migration, managing the inflows and outflows of irregular migration, preventing and reducing potential exploitation of migrant workers and the families and counter-trafficking. IOM is encouraged by the OAS Secretary General’s interests in this topic and double its efforts to bring about successful program in that sector. Mr. Ambassador, IOM would like to thank you again for the invitation and we are looking forward to working with the Committee on Judicial and Political Affairs to advance our goals and programs. - 97 -

Jessica Seacor – International Labor Organization

Annual Meeting on Implementation of the Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, Including Migrant Workers and Their Families

Context:

The ILO is pleased to participate in this follow up meeting to the landmark OAS General Assembly resolution AG/RES. 2224 (XXXVI-O/06), “The Human Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families,” with the purpose of sharing best practices and activities carried out last year in support of the Program, as well as new proposals that might be incorporated into the text of the Program. We understand that as an international organization, we are expected to contribute on issues concerning protection of the human rights of migrants, and activities and best practices in the same field.

In 2005, about 191 million people - 2.9 percent of the world’s population - were living outside their countries of birth or citizenship. This population would constitute the world’s fifth largest country if put in one territory. Of this number, Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for 6.6 million and North America for 44.5 million respectively, thereby accounting for about one fourth of the global migrants in the OAS region.

Most of the world’s migrants comprise migrant workers and their families. Almost half of the world migrant population is economically active, that is to say employed, self-employed or otherwise engaged in remunerative activity. The ILO estimated 23 million migrant workers for the OAS region in the year 2000, and this number would have reached about 25 million by 2005.76

Protection central to the OAS and ILO agendas

It is laudable that protection of migrant workers and their families is now as central to the agenda of the OAS as it has long been for the ILO. Indeed, the record shows that many States in the Americas have established their commitment to the principles and international standards upholding the rights and dignity of migrants.

Three international instruments provide a comprehensive and complementary “values-based” definition of the human rights of all migrant workers and their family members. They provide a more than adequate legal basis for national policy and practice regarding non-national migrant workers and their family members.

76 . ILO: Towards a fair deal for migrant workers in the global economy International Labour Conference, Geneva 2004, p. 7. Available on line at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc92/pdf/pr-22.pdf - 98 -

Today, no less than 23 States of the Americas have ratified one or more of these instruments77; another two have signed the 1990 Convention and are expected to ratify it soon78.

Notably, the content of these instruments is broader than defining human and labour rights; numerous provisions in each add up to a comprehensive agenda for national policy and for consultation and cooperation among States on labour migration policy formulation, exchange of information, providing information to migrants, orderly return and reintegration, etc.

Indeed, three fundamental notions characterize the protections in international law for migrant workers and members of their families.

1. Equality of treatment between regular migrant/immigrant workers and nationals in the realm of employment and work.

2. Core universal human rights apply to all migrants, regardless of status. This was established implicitly and unrestrictedly in ILO Convention 143 of 1975 and later delineated explicitly in the 1990 Convention.

3. The broad array of international standards providing protection in treatment and conditions at work–safety, health, maximum hours, minimum remuneration, non-discrimination, freedom of association, maternity, etc.–apply to all workers.

As highlighted in the OAS resolution referred to above, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued an important opinion on 17 September 2003 that clearly reinforced the application of international labour standards to non-national workers, including those in irregular status.79

The Court found that non-discrimination and the right to equality are jus cogens applicable to all residents regardless of immigration status. Non-discrimination and the right to equality, the Court said, dictate that States cannot use immigration status to restrict the employment or labor rights of unauthorized workers, giving unauthorized workers inter alia equal rights to social security (see paragraph 157). The Court acknowledged that governments have the right (within the bounds of other applicable human rights norms) to deport individuals and to refuse to offer jobs to people without employment documents. However, the Court said, once the employment relationship is initiated, unauthorized workers become rights holders entitled to the full panoply of labor and employment rights available to authorized workers.80

In its conclusions, "The Court decides unanimously, that…

77 . Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Granada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. 78 . The Argentine legislature adopted the 1990 Convention on 17 December 2006. 79 . Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos. Condición Jurídica y Derechos de los Migrantes Indocumentados Opinion Consultativa OC-18/03 de 17 de Septiembre de 2003, solicitada por los Estados Unidos de Mexico. 80 . As reported by Beth Lyons, (USA) National Employment Law Project, September 28, 2003 - 99 -

8. The migrant quality of a person cannot constitute justification to deprive him of the enjoyment and exercise of his human rights, among them those of labor character. A migrant, by taking up a work relation, acquires rights by being a worker, that must be recognized and guaranteed, independent of his regular or irregular situation en the State of employment. These rights are a consequence of the labor relationship."

Renewed ILO commitment and activity

Over the last three years, the ILO has renewed its commitment to address migrant workers, and has considerably expanded its activity, notably in the Americas.

The 2004 International Labour Conference in Geneva adopted a Plan of Action on migrant workers for ILO and its tripartite constituents. This plan outlines a comprehensive approach to regulating labour migration from a rights based approach in the context of labour market and employment considerations. Especially significant was the adoption of the resolution by consensus by ministerial level government representatives and leadership of trade union and employer federations from then 177 ILO member States.

Following this Plan of Action, the ILO subsequently drafted and published in 2006 a comprehensive Mulilateral Framework for Labour Migration. This non-binding framework provides detailed guidelines and models for putting into practice the basic principles of sound, rights- based migration policy. Its recommendations are based on proven “good practices”, a considerable number of which are outlined in the published Framework (available on-line in English, French and Spanish81. Of note is that several countries of the Americas contributed substantially to its elaboration, including a number represented by experts at the ILO Expert Meeting that reviewed and ultimately agreed to the final text82.

ILO’s Hemispheric Agenda to Promote Decent Work

The Sixteenth American Regional Meeting of the ILO held during 2-5 May 2006 in Brasilia adopted a Hemispheric Agenda to Promote Decent Work that includes specific attention to improving the protection and conditions of migrant workers. The objective of the component addressing labour migration is to improve the level of protection of migrant workers through better regulation and management of migrations.

Three operational goals were set for ILO member states in the region:

 By 2010 to have a statistical information system on migrant workers to sustain the formulation of policies in this field.

81 . Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration. ILO. Geneva. 2006. Available on line at: (English: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/migrant/download/multilat_fwk_en.pdf; Spanish - http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/migrant/download/tmmflm-sp.pdf; and French - http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/migrant/download/multilat_fwk_fr.pdf ) 82 . Tripartite experts participated from Argentina, Barbados, Canada, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA. - 100 -

 To make progress in using the ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration and in ratifications of ILO Conventions Nos. 97 and 143 in order to bring about better regulation and management of the migratory process.  By 2010 all the migrant source and host countries must have a strategy and a plan of action for an orderly management of migration.

The ILO has been working in the Americas on this agenda over the last few years. In particular, ILO has supported the Andean Pact, and Caricom, and Mercosur regional integration initiatives to enhance or develop legal regimes of free circulation of labour, ensuring that the rights of migrant workers are adequately protected in these.

Efforts now being substantially expanded

A new technical cooperation project is being launched with support of the government of Spain to improve coordination of migratory flows and training opportunities in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It is designed to give practical effect to the promotion of Decent Work through expanding legal avenues for migration, skill development, and labour market absorption of returnees including through SME development, aspects which will de facto contribute to improving conditions of and protection for migrants. It will also support social and labour integration of immigrants in Spain, contributing to non-discrimination and protection there. Additional cooperation and capacity building programmes addressing labour migration in the Southern Cone and Andean countries await final approval of donor partners.

ILO would like to strengthen the implementation of the OAS resolution on human rights of all migrant workers and their families. Regarding Article 5, ILO has focused on anti-discrimination and integration issues for migrant workers in countries of employment over the last 15 years. We have developed extensive motivational and training materials for social partners and have compiled a unique and large collection of practice example profiles available on the internet. These materials are adaptable to the experience of countries in the Americas, and there are practice models from this region worthy of sharing more globally.

While article 7 of the resolution highlights consideration of the 1990 Convention, the ILO encourages ratification and/or adoption of the principles in ILO Conventions 97 and 143 on migration for employment. Inspired by the convergence in existing ratifications, advantages can certainly be gained from cooperative promotion and support for implementation of the three instruments together.

The ILO certainly hopes that the Permanent Council will take into account the work of the ILO in this field in its continued support of the work of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). And the ILO can certainly continue assisting its member States in the design, execution, and evaluation of their migration policies, including particularly activities recommended in the Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants. We welcome the encouragement to cooperate with the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD) in implementing the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 2002-2005 regarding the situation of migrant workers and their families. - 101 -

The ILO welcomes several recommendations emanating from the recent Workshop of the Inter-American Network for Labor Administration (RIAL) in Ottawa.83 Pursuant to a recommendation, ILO stands ready to initiate preparations together with the OAS of a workshop with COSATE and CEATAL to obtain membership input on guidelines for migration management and policies.

ILO is most ready the to assist the IACML in following-up mandates regarding labor rights of migrant workers and migratory processes contained in the Declaration and Plan of Action of Mar del Plata, approved in the IV Summit of the Americas in November, 2005, and in the Hemispheric Agenda for Decent Work of the ILO, approved in the XVI Regional American Meeting in Brasilia in May, 2006. ILO could also assist in organizing the next RIAL/IACML workshop on Social Security which might include a section exploring bilateral and multilateral conventions to coordinate social security systems.

83 . Workshop “Migrant Workers: Protection of Labour Rights and Labour Market Programs” ( Ottawa, Canada November 28-29, 2006), organized jointly by Human Resources and Social Development Canada and the Department of Social Development and Employment, SEDI of the Organization of American States (OAS). - 102 -

Juan Carlos Murillo - ACNUR

FLUJOS MIGRATORIOS MIXTOS Y PROTECCIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE REFUGIADOS

El ACNUR agradece al Comité de Asuntos Jurídicos y Políticos de la Organización de Estados Americanos la invitación para compartir con Ustedes algunas buenas prácticas e información sobre las actividades realizadas durante el año 2006 en respaldo del Programa Interamericano para la promoción y protección de los derechos humanos de los migrantes, en cumplimiento de la resolución 2224 de la Asamblea General de la OEA (AG/XXXVI/06) del pasado 6 de junio de 2006.

I. LA DINÁMICA DE LOS FLUJOS MIGRATORIOS MIXTOS

En nuestro continente al igual que en otras partes del mundo existen crecientes movimientos migratorios de personas que se trasladan de un país a otro por distintas motivaciones. En la mayoría de los casos, estos movimientos migratorios obedecen a presiones socioeconómicas ligadas a la pobreza, el desempleo y la exclusión social. No obstante lo anterior, en algunos casos esos movimientos migratorios están ligados a la persecución, los conflictos armados y las violaciones de derechos humanos.

Con la excepción de Costa Rica y de los países fronterizos con Colombia que albergan un número creciente de refugiados, la dinámica regional de los flujos migratorios mixtos da cuenta de existencia de miles de migrantes que atraviesan el continente de norte a sur y de sur a sur frente un número reducido de solicitantes de asilo y refugiados en México y Centroamérica, así como en el Caribe y el Cono Sur.

La migración y la protección de refugiados son dos temas distintos, pero complementarios, particularmente respecto de aquellas situaciones en las cuales los refugiados viajan conjuntamente con un gran número de personas que no necesitan protección internacional o cuyas motivaciones son distintas a aquellas que justifican el otorgamiento de protección internacional. Esto es precisamente lo que denominamos flujos migratorios mixtos, los cuales caracterizan la dinámica migratoria regional actual.

Ante esta realidad, la labor del ACNUR consiste en apoyar a los Estados para identificar dentro de los flujos migratorios a aquellas personas que necesitan protección internacional. Colaboramos con los Estados para que la gestión migratoria sea respetuosa de la protección internacional de refugiados.

Este es el nuevo contexto de la protección internacional de refugiados, y en la medida que respondamos adecuadamente a la problemática de los flujos migratorios mixtos, conjuntamente con los Estados y otros organismos internacionales, estaremos preservando el asilo y la protección de refugiados. - 103 -

II. BUENAS PRÁCTICAS Y ACTIVIDADES REALIZADAS PARA RESPONDER A LOS FLUJOS MIGRATORIOS MIXTOS

Durante el año 2006, el ACNUR realizó distintas actividades estratégicas y operativas para apoyar a los Estados en la identificación de las personas necesitadas de protección internacional inmersas dentro de los flujos migratorios mixtos. Respecto de las actividades estratégicas, resaltamos las siguientes:

1. Participación en foros mundiales y regionales sobre migración.

El tema de la migración ocupó en el año 2006 un papel protagónico en las agendas políticas en muchos foros globales y regionales, entre otros: el Diálogo de Alto Nivel sobre Migración de Naciones Unidas, el Encuentro Iberoamericano sobre Migración, la XVI Cumbre Iberoamericana de Montevideo y la XI Conferencia Regional sobre Migración (Proceso Puebla).

En dichos foros, el ACNUR reiteró a los países participantes que la gestión migratoria y la protección de refugiados son dos actividades distintas, pero complementarias y, en consecuencia, es necesario diferenciar a los migrantes y a los refugiados, así como reconocer las necesidades y los derechos específicos de los refugiados.

2. El Plan de Acción de los Diez Puntos.

En abril de 2006, el ACNUR compartió con los Estados, a través del denominado “Plan de Acción de los Diez Puntos”, su propuesta estratégica para responder a los movimientos migratorios mixtos. El documento subraya que los refugiados y los solicitantes de asilo representan hoy en día una proporción relativamente pequeña del movimiento general de personas en el mundo, pero que su traslado se produce junto a personas que no buscan protección internacional.

En consecuencia, el reto es contar con mecanismos de gestión migratoria que permitan identificar a quienes requieren protección internacional y brindarles una respuesta diferenciada. El “Plan de Acción de los 10 Puntos” se basa en la necesidad de asegurar que la provisión de protección a los refugiados no agrave las dificultades que afrontan los Estados para controlar el ingreso y permanencia de extranjeros en su territorio y para combatir los delitos internacionales.

En consultas con los Estados el “Plan de los 10 puntos” ha sido recientemente actualizado a finales de enero del presente año y está siendo adaptado a las necesidades específicas de cada región.

3. Respondiendo a las necesidades específicas de protección de niños no acompañados y víctimas de trata.

Dentro de los flujos migratorios mixtos es importante atender las necesidades específicas de protección de los niños no acompañados y las víctimas de trata en razón de su alta vulnerabilidad.

En abril del año pasado, el ACNUR adoptó lineamientos específicos en materia de trata que pueden servir de guía para gobiernos, adjudicadores en materia de refugiados, funcionarios del ACNUR y organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Estos lineamientos se refieren a aquellas situaciones en las cuales una víctima de trata de personas podría igualmente ser reconocida como refugiado bajo - 104 - los términos de la Convención sobre el Estatuto de los Refugiados de 1951 y su Protocolo de 1967, en la medida que tenga un temor fundado de persecución y satisfaga los otros criterios establecidos en la definición de refugiado.

Reconocemos que las necesidades de protección de niños no acompañados y de las víctimas de trata van más allá del mandato del ACNUR, salvedad hecha de aquellos que necesitan protección internacional, y que su debida atención presupone la cooperación estrecha entre los Estados, las agencias de Naciones Unidas, la OIM y otros organismos internacionales y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil.

En el ámbito operativo, las principales acciones realizadas durante el año 2006 para responder a los flujos migratorios mixtos son las siguientes:

1. Asesoría técnica para la revisión y adopción de legislación en materia de refugiados y migración.

Como parte del fortalecimiento de los marcos normativos para la protección internacional de refugiados, nos complace informarles que en el último año, Argentina y Uruguay adoptaron legislación específica sobre refugiados. Dichas legislaciones incorporan buenas prácticas en materia de protección internacional de refugiados, tales como garantizar el derecho al trabajo de los solicitantes de asilo y la inclusión de la definición ampliada de refugiado, propuesta por la Declaración de Cartagena sobre los Refugiados de 1984.

Igualmente, como parte de la actualización y revisión de la legislación migratoria regional, el ACNUR ha apoyado los esfuerzos nacionales en Costa Rica y Panamá, conjuntamente con otros organismos internacionales y la sociedad civil.

2. Apoyo para el establecimiento de procedimientos justos y eficientes para la determinación de la condición de refugiado.

Dentro del marco del Plan de Acción de México para Fortalecer la Protección de Refugiados en América Latina, el ACNUR promueve el fortalecimiento de las comisiones nacionales para la determinación de la condición de refugiado y quisiera subrayar las siguientes buenas prácticas:

a) Cooperación norte-sur

El Gobierno de Argentina ha mostrado su interés de iniciar un programa de cooperación con el IRB de Canadá para el fortalecimiento de las funciones de la Comisión Nacional de Refugiados (CONARE).

b) Proyectos de fortalecimiento institucional

El ACNUR ha apoyado el fortalecimiento de los órganos nacionales para la determinación de condición de refugiado en varios países de la región, tales como Ecuador, Costa Rica y Chile. En el caso de Ecuador, el fortalecimiento de la Oficina de Refugiados de la Cancillería ecuatoriana es un primer paso hacia la consolidación del procedimiento nacional para la determinación de la condición de refugiado, promoviendo la descentralización y regionalización de sus funciones. Igualmente, en el - 105 - caso de Chile, el procedimiento de determinación de la condición de refugiado ha sido descentralizado, fortaleciendo la toma de decisiones en frontera. En Costa Rica, se promueve el reestablecimiento de la Oficina para Refugiados dentro de la Dirección General de Migración.

c) Sistematización de la práctica estatal en materia de determinación de la condición de refugiados

Como parte del fortalecimiento de las comisiones nacionales para la determinación de la condición de refugiado en la región, tanto en Argentina como Brasil existen proyectos específicos para la sistematización de la práctica estatal en materia de protección de refugiados. Un proyecto similar se realizará en Ecuador en los próximos meses.

Estas iniciativas regionales demuestran el interés de analizar y sistematizar la práctica estatal respecto de la protección de refugiados que permita armonizar criterios y el intercambio de buenas prácticas entre los Estados.

d) Reconocimiento de las necesidades diferenciadas de protección

La nueva legislación sobre refugiados adoptada en Argentina y Uruguay reconoce que la persecución puede guardar relación tanto con el género y la edad, y establece importantes salvaguardas para la protección de mujeres y niños refugiados. Por su parte, las decisiones adoptadas por las Comisiones nacionales para la determinación de la condición de refugiado en Ecuador y Panamá constituyen importantes precedentes en la protección de poblaciones indígenas, subrayando que la persecución igualmente puede guardar relación con la diversidad.

e) Programa Latinoamericano de formación en materia de derecho internacional de refugiados

Como parte de la implementación del Plan de Acción de México y con el objetivo de fortalecer las comisiones nacionales de elegibilidad en materia de determinación de la condición de refugiado, el ACNUR realizó en Quito, Ecuador, a finales de junio de 2006, el IV Curso Regional Latinoamericano de Derecho Internacional de Refugiados. En el curso participaron un total de 22 oficiales gubernamentales encargados de la determinación de la condición de refugiado (entre ellos, 12 mujeres), procedentes de 14 países latinoamericanos.

El V Curso Regional de Derecho Internacional de Refugiados se realizará en Santiago de Chile a finales de septiembre de 2007 y contará con la participación de 25 funcionarios gubernamentales de toda América Latina.

3. Capacitación regional a los funcionarios de frontera y migración para la identificación de personas necesitadas de protección dentro de los flujos migratorios mixtos (Proceso Puebla).

Como parte de la cooperación norte-sur y dentro del marco del proceso Puebla, los gobiernos de Canadá, Estados Unidos de América y México, con la participación del ACNUR, apoyan la capacitación de funcionarios de frontera y migración en materia de control migratorio en Centroamérica y Panamá. - 106 -

Sobre esta base, en septiembre pasado se realizó en Tegucigalpa, Honduras un taller regional sobre control migratorio, el cual contó con la amplia asistencia de más de 60 oficiales de migración y de fronteras, así como funcionarios consulares de los países miembros de Conferencia Regional de Migración.

Este tipo de iniciativas regionales constituye un ejemplo de cómo la gestión migratoria puede estar acompañada de salvaguardas específicas para la protección de refugiados. Se capacita a funcionarios de frontera y migración en control migratorio y la identificación de documentación falsa y fraudulenta, pero igualmente se brindan elementos básicos que les permitan distinguir a los migrantes y a los refugiados dentro de los flujos migratorios mixtos.

4. Seminario sobre legislación migratoria.

Como parte del fortalecimiento de los marcos normativos regionales para la protección de migrantes y refugiados, los días 15 y 16 de febrero del presente año, se realizará en Ciudad de Guatemala un seminario regional sobre legislación migratoria, auspiciado por la Secretaría Técnica de la Conferencia Regional de Migración (Proceso Puebla) y cofinanciado por ACNUR y OIM. Esta iniciativa interinstitucional busca propiciar el intercambio de buenas prácticas y apoyar los esfuerzos nacionales para el fortalecimiento y revisión de la legislación migratoria.

5. Monitoreo de fronteras en la región andina y otros países: Identificación de personas necesitadas de protección internacional y evaluación de las necesidades de protección de niños no acompañados.

Como parte de la estrategia regional para responder a las necesidades humanitarias de nacionales colombianos necesitados de protección internacional, se ha incrementado la presencia y monitoreo de zonas fronterizas de la región andina, así como en otros países tales como Brasil, Chile, Costa Rica y Perú. Conjuntamente con los gobiernos concernidos, el ACNUR estima que existe más de medio millón de ciudadanos colombianos necesitados de protección internacional fuera de su país.

El ACNUR igualmente da seguimiento a los flujos migratorios en la frontera sur de México y Centroamérica. Para tal efecto, contamos con una oficina de campo en la ciudad de Tapachula, Chiapas. La presencia en la frontera sur de México nos ha permitido tener un contacto cercano con la dinámica fronteriza y cooperar con el Gobierno mexicano en la identificación de personas necesitadas de protección internacional.

Recientemente con el apoyo del Gobierno mexicano y de Save The Children (Suecia), el ACNUR realizó un estudio en la frontera sur de México, el cual ha puesto de manifiesto la problemática de los menores no acompañados que forman parte de los flujos migratorios. Asimismo, nos ha permitido identificar a algunos menores necesitados de protección internacional.

III. CONSIDERACIONES FINALES

En esta oportunidad hemos querido compartir con Ustedes algunas de las acciones estratégicas y operativas que el ACNUR viene implementando conjuntamente con los Estados, otros organismos internacionales y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil para responder a los crecientes - 107 - flujos migratorios mixtos. Habida cuenta de las diferencias existentes entre los migrantes y los refugiados, en la medida que mejore la protección de migrantes, se bajará la presión sobre los sistemas de asilo, sin negar los derechos y obligaciones de todas personas bajo la jurisdicción de un Estado, independientemente de su condición migratoria.

Reconocemos que el contexto regional en el que se brinda la protección internacional ha cambiado y reiteramos nuestra disposición y compromiso para continuar colaborando con los Estados en la búsqueda de respuestas operativas y pragmáticas que garanticen que la gestión migratoria sea respetuosa de la protección internacional de refugiados. - 108 -

Luis Monzón – Conferencia Regional Sobre Migración (CRM)

Actividades de la Conferencia Regional sobre Migración llevadas a cabo en cumplimiento de su Plan de Acción

La Conferencia Regional sobre Migración (CRM), también conocida como Proceso Puebla, constituye una oportunidad de diálogo y consulta regionales en temas migratorios. La CRM que comprende a todos los países de América del Norte, Centro América y la República Dominicana ha servido como un mecanismo de diálogo fructífero, concertación y cooperación para enfrentar problemas regionales entre países con realidades migratorias diferentes. La CRM reconoce que a cada país le corresponde ejercer el derecho soberano sobre sus fronteras, la gestión de sus programas de migración, y la necesidad de respetar los derechos humanos de los migrantes, por lo tanto valora el diálogo como una oportunidad de intercambiar mejores prácticas dentro de la región. Desde su creación en 1996, la CRM cuenta con una trayectoria de logros y resultados tangibles. De hecho, la experiencia de la CRM continúa demostrando el valor de enfrentar problemas regionales sobre migración desde una perspectiva regional.

Una de las principales ventajas del dialogo regional en la CRM, es que la búsqueda de consensos se caracteriza por propiciar un ambiente de franqueza y camaradería, denominado por participantes de larga data como el “Espíritu de Puebla”. Una reunión a puertas cerradas de Viceministros crea un ambiente que favorece los contactos informales e intercambios con confianza entre todos los Viceministros. Estas sesiones sin duda contribuyen a que funcionarios de alto rango establezcan un diálogo franco sobre una amplia variedad de temas.

La CRM ha demostrado que una gestión migratoria exitosa requiere el apoyo y cooperación entre países y cuenta con la asistencia de las organizaciones internacionales y la sociedad civil.

La CRM se ha beneficiado de la participación de organizaciones observadoras tales como la Comisión Económica de las Naciones Unidas para América Latina y el Caribe/Centro Latinoamericano de Demografía (CEPAL-CELADE), el Alto Comisionado de la Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados (ACNUR) y la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM). Esta última ha desempeñado en la CRM un papel significativo, apoyando su desarrollo en general, cooperando en la ejecución de su Plan de Acción y en la elaboración de propuestas e ideas para consideración de los Países Miembros de la CRM. El proceso de la CRM incluye un diálogo franco a viarios niveles con la Red Regional de Organizaciones Civiles para las Migraciones (RROCM).

La CRM fundamenta sus discusiones y accionar en tres ejes fundamentales: la protección y respeto de los derechos humanos de los migrantes, la promoción de una migración ordenada y segura, y la cooperación entre los países con participación de la sociedad civil. El Plan de Acción de la CRM es actualizado cada año y ayuda a guiar y coordinar las actividades enfocado en tres grandes temas: Políticas y Gestión Migratoria; Derechos Humanos; y Migración y Desarrollo. Aunque las decisiones de la CRM no son vinculantes, las mismas proveen un marco para continua cooperación regional. - 109 -

Para resaltar sus prioridades, la Presidencia de la CRM en ejercicio selecciona un tema a destacarse durante las reuniones plenarias. Para la X CRM celebrada en Vancouver en marzo de 2005, Canadá seleccionó el tema “Integración y Ciudadanía” dirigido a subrayar el impacto, las necesidades y contribuciones de los migrantes a la sociedad. En la XI CRM, celebrada en mayo de 2006 en San Salvador, El Salvador escogió el tema “Entrelazando Comunidades” a manera de destacar los lazos que los migrantes forjan entre las comunidades de origen y destino y sus contribuciones particulares a la cultura, economía y desarrollo. Para la XII CRM (Nueva Orleáns, abril 2007), los Estados Unidos seleccionó el tema “Efectiva Cooperación en el Combate a la Trata de Personas”

Entre los logros más significativos y contribuciones de la CRM se pueden resaltar los siguientes:

 Lineamientos para el retorno voluntario de migrantes irregulares por tierra y aire en México y Centro América;

 Campañas de información sobre los riesgos y consecuencias de la trata de personas y el tráfico ilícito de migrantes;

 Varios proyectos dirigidos a la reinserción y albergues a las víctimas de la trata de personas;

 Creación de un fondo para el retorno y asistencia a migrantes regionales en situaciones de alta vulnerabilidad a sus comunidades de origen.

 Bajos sus auspicios, se suscribió en San Salvador, El Salvador, mayo de 2006 un “Memorando de Entendimiento entre los Gobiernos de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, de la República de El Salvador, de la República de Guatemala, de la República de Honduras y de la República de Nicaragua, para la repatriación ordenada, ágil y segura de nacionales migrantes centroamericanos vía terrestre”.

Entre otras contribuciones de la CRM al continuo análisis de temas sobre la migración y en cumplimiento de su Plan de Acción, se encuentran:

 En febrero del 2006 tuvo lugar en San Salvador, El Salvador, el Foro - Taller sobre el Sector Privado y Migración co-patrocinado por El Salvador y México, el cual reunió a representantes de gobiernos, empresa privada y sociedad civil y de comunidades salvadoreñas en el exterior.

 En diciembre del 2005, en Managua, el Taller de Estándares Internacionales para Documentos de Viaje y Sistemas de Emisión patrocinado por Nicaragua y la OIM enfocado en conocer nuevas tecnologías y promover la adopción de estándares internacionales sobre documentos de viaje.

 En junio del 2005 se realizó en San José, Costa Rica, un Taller sobre Integración de Migrantes en Países Receptores, co-patrocinado por Canadá y Costa Rica, el cual - 110 -

analizó las tendencias, las necesidades y las mejores prácticas para programas de integración.

La RCM realizará en Ciudad de Guatemala el 15 y 16 de febrero del año en curso el “Seminario sobre Legislación Migratoria” patrocinado por Guatemala, ACNUR y OIM, el cual se enfocará en el análisis de los principios de la legislación migratoria, incluyendo la protección a refugiados, y las experiencias actuales sobre el tema de los Países Miembros.

En conclusión, la CRM ha demostrado ser un foro exitoso en el cual los países comparten sus mejores prácticas y discuten desafíos migratorios de preocupación regional. Su informalidad y franqueza permite a los Países Miembros lograr cooperación concreta y efectiva sobre migración. - 111 -

Luis Monzón – Regional Conference on Migration

Activities of the Regional Conference on Migration Carried Out under its Plan of Action

The Regional Conference on Migration (RCM), also known as the Puebla Process, is an opportunity for regional dialogue and consultation on migration issues. Comprised of Central and North America countries, and the Dominican Republic, the RCM has served as a successful and enduring mechanism for fruitful dialogue, consensus and cooperation to address regional issues among countries with different migration realities. The RCM recognizes that each country has the sovereign right to control its borders and manage its migration programs, recognizing the need to respect the human rights of migrants, and sees the dialogue as an opportunity to share best practices within the region. Since its creation in 1996, the RCM has a record of tangible results and achievements. In fact, the RCM continues to demonstrate the value of addressing migration issues at the regional level.

One of the main advantages of the RCM process is that consensus is reached in an atmosphere of frankness and collegiality, referred to by long-time participants as "The Spirit of Puebla." A closed-door session for Vice-Ministers creates an atmosphere which fosters informal and trusting contacts and exchanges among Vice-Ministers. These private sessions facilitate frank senior-level dialogue on a wide range of issues.

The RCM shows that effective migration management is enhanced by partnership and cooperation between countries, as well as the support of international organizations and civil society.

The RCM benefits from the participation of organizations, such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America/the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC-CELADE), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migrations (IOM). IOM has played a significant role in the RCM by supporting its development, assisting in the implementation of the RCM Plan of Action. The RCM process includes frank dialogue at different levels with the Regional Network of Civil Organizations on Migration (RNCOM).

The RCM bases its discussions and actions on three fundamental ideas: the protection and respect for the human rights of migrants, the promotion of orderly and secure migration, and dialogue and cooperation among countries with participation of civil society. The RCM Plan of Action is updated each year and helps guide and coordinate activities, and is structured along three broad themes: Migration Policies and Management; Human Rights; and Migration and Development. Although the RCM decisions are non-binding, they provide a framework for continued regional cooperation.

To highlight its priorities, the rotating presidency of the RCM selects a theme to be emphasized during the plenary sessions. For the Tenth RCM (Vancouver, March 2005) Canada selected “Integration and Citizenship,” aimed at addressing the impact, needs, and contributions of migrants to society. El Salvador (San Salvador, May 2006), chose the theme “Linking Communities” for the Eleventh RCM to highlight the links migrants establish with their communities of origin and - 112 - their particular contributions to culture, economy and development, and for the Twelfth RCM (New Orleans, April 2007), the United States has chosen the theme “Effective Cooperation in Combating Trafficking in Persons”. The theme serves as a Conference catalyst for member countries’ exchanges on the subject.

Some of the most relevant and significant achievements and contributions of the RCM include:

 Guidelines for the voluntary return of irregular migrants by land and air in Mexico and Central America;

 Information campaigns on the risks and consequences of trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling;

 A number of projects on reintegration and shelters for victims of trafficking in persons.

 The creation of a fund for the assistance and return of highly vulnerable migrants within the region to their communities of origin; and

 Under its auspices, the signing in San Salvador, El Salvador, May 2006 of a “Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of the United States of Mexico, the Republic of El Salvador, the Republic of Guatemala, the Republic of Honduras and the Republic of Nicaragua, for an orderly, prompt, and safe repatriation by land of Central American national migrants”

Other recent contributions of the RCM to the ongoing analysis of issues on migration in fulfillment of its Plan of Action include:

 A February 2006 workshop, sponsored by El Salvador and Mexico and held in San Salvador, El Salvador, entitled “Forum-Workshop on Migration and the Private Sector” that gathered member governments, international organizations, private enterprises, civil society and representatives of Salvadorians living abroad to discuss ways in which the private sector can play a role in maximizing the benefits of migration.

 A December 2005 workshop, co-sponsored by Nicaragua and IOM, entitled “Workshop on International Standards on Travel Documents and Issuance Systems” held in Managua, Nicaragua, which familiarized member states with new technologies and promoted the adoption of international standards regarding travel documents.

 A June 2005 workshop, co-hosted by Canada and Costa Rica, entitled “Workshop on Migrant Integration in Receiving Countries” held in San Jose, Costa Rica, which analyzed the trends, needs and best practices in regards to immigrants’ integration programs. - 113 -

The RCM will hold the “Seminar on Migration Legislation” sponsored by Guatemala, UNHCR and IOM to be held in Guatemala City February 15-16, 2007, which will cover the principles of migration legislation, including refugee protection, and the current experiences in this regard by member countries.

In conclusion, the RCM has proven itself a successful forum in which states can share best practices and discuss migration challenges of regional concern. Its informality and frankness allows member states achieve concrete and effective cooperation in this regard.

068386fe77982d2869115c3ddfe98d60.doc