Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Figures -- Tables -- Notes on Contributors -- Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction: The UN Convention on Migrant Workers' Rights -- Migrant vulnerability to human rights violations -- International migration law and the history of the ICRMW -- Content of the Convention -- The ratification process -- Low awareness and misperceptions -- Lack of capacity and resources -- Legal and political obstacles -- Evolving migration dynamics and divergent political debates -- Irregular migration and human trafficking -- The international context -- Cultural representations of migration -- The role of civil society and the ICRMW's catalyst function -- Market forces, sovereignty and security -- Human rights and migration management -- Conclusion: the way forward -- References -- PART I -- 2 Migration and human rights: the uneasy but essential relationship -- Introduction -- Human rights and migrants before the ICRMW -- Concern without standards -- Standards without concern -- History of the Convention -- Beginnings: the 1970s -- Drafting process: the 1980s -- Ratification time: the 1990s -- What prospects for the Convention? -- Conclusion -- References -- 3 Role of civil society in campaigning for and using the ICRMW -- Introduction -- NGOs and standard-setting: challenges specific to the ICRMW -- From adoption to entry into force -- Obstacles to strong NGO involvement: specific circumstances of NGO support for ratification -- NGOs and the CHR and its Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants -- NGOs and world conferences and summits -- NGOs and the Global Campaign for Ratification -- NGO advocacy activities since entry into force -- National and regional campaigns -- NGOs and implementation -- NGO advocacy and international migration policy discussions -- Conclusion -- References.

4 Committee on Migrant Workers and implementation of the ICRMW -- Introduction -- Establishment of the CMW -- Functions of the CMW -- Consideration of States Parties' reports -- Mali -- Mexico -- Egypt -- Non-reporting -- Consideration of communications received under articles 76 and 77 -- Annual reports -- Promotion of the ICRMW -- Day of General Discussion -- CMW contribution to the HLD -- Cooperation with other stakeholders -- International Labour Organization -- UN agencies and other IGOs -- NGOs and national human rights institutions -- Special procedures -- Observations for the future -- Reform proposals -- Viability of the ICRMW in the light of stagnating ratifications and non-reporting -- Conclusion -- 5 Migrants' rights in UN human rights conventions -- Introduction -- Applicability of UN human rights system to migrant workers -- Treaties -- Monitoring mechanisms and their working methods -- Place of migrants' rights in UN human rights system -- Concerns about human rights of migrants as identified by treaty monitoring bodies -- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination -- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights -- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights -- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women -- Convention against Torture, and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment -- Convention on the Rights of the Child -- Case studies -- Morocco -- Republic of Korea -- Sweden -- United States -- Mali -- Mexico -- Egypt -- Obstacles to protection of migrants' rights by the rst six UN human-rights conventions -- Potential added value of the ICRMW -- Conclusion -- 6 The need for a rights-based approach to migration in the age of globalization -- Introduction -- Context of contention: roles and importance of migrant labour.

Evolution of international protection -- Contradictions in state policy and practice -- Relativizing rights -- Policy framework for realizing rights of migrants -- Standards-based foundation for comprehensive national migration policies and practices -- Informed and transparent migration policy and administration -- Institutional mechanisms for dialogue, consultation and cooperation -- Enforcement of minimum, national employment-condition norms in all sectors of activity -- Gender-sensitive migration measures -- Plan of Action against discrimination and xenophobia -- Linking migration and development in policy and practice -- International consultation and cooperation -- Impediments -- Conclusion: the way forward -- References -- PART II -- 7 Obstacles to, and opportunities for, ratification of the ICRMW in Asia -- Introduction -- Migration patterns and protection issues in Asia -- Obstacles to ratification in South-East and East Asia -- Government level -- Non-ratifier sending countries: Indonesia and Bangladesh -- Receiving countries -- Regional developments -- Opportunities created by ratification: the Philippines and Sri Lanka -- Rights activism and the role of civil society -- NGOs and migrant associations -- Trade unions -- Conclusion -- References -- 8 Obstacles to ratification of the ICRMW in Canada -- Introduction -- Immigrants and foreign workers in Canada -- Rights of migrant workers and families in Canada -- Live-in Caregivers Program -- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program -- Low-skilled Worker Program -- Undocumented workers -- Obstacles to ratification: the perspective of Canada's federal government -- Obstacle 1: migration and national sovereignty -- Obstacle 2: immigration philosophy -- Obstacle 3: respect of fundamental rights -- Obstacle 4: temporary workers -- Obstacles to ratification: parliamentarians' point of view.

Canada's ratification: the NGO perspective -- Human rights and the limits of national sovereignty -- Permanent immigration vs temporary migration -- Usefulness of ratification to complement foreign workers' rights in Canada -- Systematically informing foreign workers of their rights -- Government responsibility in monitoring the employment of migrant workers -- Right of migrant workers to be consulted -- Right of foreign workers to unionize -- Equal treatment for foreign workers -- Possibility of impartial reconsideration of the reasons for expulsion or exclusion from a programme -- Respect of fundamental principle of family reunification of all residents -- Minimizing exploitation of undocumented migrant workers -- Discussion and conclusion -- Towards recognition and protection of migrant workers' rights in Canada -- References -- Supplementary bibliography -- 9 Mexico's role in promoting and implementing the ICRMW -- Introduction -- Background -- Involvement in the ICRMW -- Migration patterns -- Mexico as a migrant-sending country -- Temporary worker agreements with the United States and Canada -- Migrants in transit through Mexico -- Central America -- Latin America -- Other regions -- Women and children in transit -- Detention and deportation of transit migrants -- Migrants resident in Mexico -- Migration and human rights -- Mexican migrant workers in the United States -- Transit migration -- Right to life and the prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment (articles 9 and 10) -- Right to liberty and security of person, safeguards against arbitrary arrest and detention (articles 16 and 17) -- Migrants in Mexico -- Recognition as a person before the law (article 24) -- Prohibition of slavery and forced labour (article 11) -- Women and children migrants.

Right of a child of a migrant worker to a name, registration of birth and a nationality (article 29) -- Access to education on the basis of equality of treatment (article 30) -- Plans for compliance with the Convention -- Conclusion -- References -- 10 Migrants' rights after apartheid: South African responses to the ICRMW -- Introduction -- Labour migration to South Africa -- Migrants' rights beyond apartheid -- Shifting views of migrants' rights -- Possible obstacles to ratification -- Conclusion -- References -- 11 Policy on the ICRMW in the United Kingdom -- Introduction -- Non-ratification of the ICRMW -- Government arguments -- Overview -- Freedom of employment -- Right to remain after employment -- Equality of treatment in social benefits -- Other policy considerations -- Irregular workers' employment contracts -- Regularization -- Admission of family members of migrant workers -- Avoidance of multilateral commitments -- Growing support for the Convention -- Civil society -- Political parties -- Parliament -- Conclusion: potential of the Convention in the United Kingdom -- References -- 12 The French political refusal on Europe's behalf -- Introduction -- Timid but growing awareness of the ICRMW -- Late but paramount work of French NGOs -- Timid but positive effects of NGO campaigns -- A political obstacle covered by the European alibi -- Limited impact of the ICRMW -- Legal obstacles -- Administrative obstacles -- Financial obstacles -- Political obstacles and the European context -- Conclusion -- References -- 13 Migration and human rights in Germany -- Introduction -- Immigration in Germany -- History of German immigration -- Immigrants in Germany today -- General features -- Migrant work in Germany: forms and patterns -- The ICRMW in Germany -- History of the Convention -- Activities concerning the Convention -- Awareness of the Convention.

Reasons for non-ratification.