8 December 2010
European Parliament,
Altiero Spinelli A3E-3
Brussels
OBJECTIVE:
The Office of the UN High Commissioner Human Rights (OHCHR) has identified protecting human rights in the context of migration as one of its six thematic priorities for the biennium (2010-2011) and one of the key challenges Europe face today.
The year 2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW).
This years’ anniversary provides an occasion to reflect on the importance of achieving universal acceptance of this core human rights instrument and its principles while analysing the positive developments in the area of protection of migrant workers’ rights in the region as well as the challenges ahead.
In commemoration of the anniversary, OHCHR (through its Europe Regional Office) will organize an Expert Dialogue that is based on a pragmatic, can-do approach to the ratification of the Convention in the region. Raising awareness about the Convention and how its principles can be linked to existing best policies and actions being taken in the countries of the region, including in some EU Member States, will be the aim of the Expert Meeting. Inspiring good practices can show how the challenges faced by millions of migrants in Europe can be met in a way that is in line with the protection provided in the Convention.
The general objective of the Expert Dialogue which is being organized in Brussels on 8 December 2010 is twofold:
- To take stock of the main developments and trends in the promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families in the region.
- To raise awareness about the provisions in the Convention and how they can be used as a reference and linked to existing (positive) policies and actions which are being developed in some countries of the region, including in some EU Member States.
- In the pursuit of these goals, the Expert Dialogue will focus on:
- Identifying legal standards, policies and practices adopted at the country level and EU levels with the aim of improving the enjoyment of human rights for migrant workers and highlighting the relationship of such legal standards, policies and practices to international human rights standards (and international migration law more broadly).
- Contributing to a launch of multi-stakeholder debate on the possible actions in the future for the universal acceptance of this core human rights instrument.
OHCHR Regional Office for Europe is joined on this occasion by the members of the International Steering Committee for the Ratification of the Migrant Rights Convention, including International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and December 18.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
The Expert Dialogue will take place in Brussels in the building of the European Parliament (Altiero Spinelli A3E-3). The working languages of the event will be English and French.
DRAFT AGENDA (PDF)
