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MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged world leaders on Wednesday to shield migrant workers from the effects of the global economic crisis and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.
Speaking at the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), Arroyo acknowledged that countries are "less equipped to protect their people abroad in times of trouble" and worried that the global financial crisis could result in "side effects" such as exploitation, abuse, and ill treatment of migrant workers.
"We must work together to protect our migrant workers in times of financial and economic stress as the world is experiencing now," Arroyo said, drawing applause from the audience at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
"We urge all countries which have not yet done so to ratify the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families," she said.
Arroyo also urged nations to "never lose sight" of the "unseen impact" of the world credit crunch on the poor.
She said her government was working to create "appealing employment opportunities" back home, especially in business process outsourcing (BPO), and to "spread the wealth," so that Filipinos would not be forced to seek greener pastures abroad.
"We long for the day when going abroad for a job is a career option not the only choice for a Filipino worker. Our economic plans are designed to allow the Philippines to break out of this cycle, that is why we remain so stubbornly focused on the economy," she said.
Arroyo’s appeal was echoed later in the day by Labor Secretary Marianito Roque in his speech opening the general debate of the government meeting.
Roque said ratifying the treaty is the most effective way of recognizing "migrants' vital contributions to development locally as well as globally."
As of September 29 this year, only 39 countries have ratified the treaty and 15 have signed it.
Many of those that have ratified and signed the convention are developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America from where migrant workers come. None of the developed countries in Europe and the Americas have done so.
During the civil society days of the Manila Forum, non-government organizations and other migration and development stakeholders repeatedly made the same call.
At the same time, Roque asked the international community to redouble efforts -- at the national, regional, and international levels -- to combat trafficking in all its forms, particularly of women and children.
"The GFMD is an opportunity for labor-sending and -receiving nations to reaffirm the commitment to protect the rights of workers particularly those under irregular circumstances," he said.
Roque also said bilateral and regional mechanisms are needed to address vulnerabilities of migrant workers, particularly in ensuring that they receive fair compensation and work in decent working conditions.
The 39 countries that have ratified the UN treaty are: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Jamaica;
Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Philippines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Syria, Peru, Tajikistan,
Timor Leste, Turkey, Uganda, and Uruguay.
Those that have signed it are: Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Comoros, Congo, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Liberia, Montenegro, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
