>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE | |||
Inter-Parliamentary Union | |||
Chemin du Pommier 5, C.P. 330, CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex/Geneva, Switzerland |
Resolution adopted by consensus* by the 113th Assembly (Geneva, 19 October 2005)
Recalling the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development adopted in Cairo in 1994, in particular chapter X on international migration, the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development adopted in 1995, the Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, and the outcome documents of the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth special sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, Recalling all relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, including resolution 59/241 on international migration and development, resolution 58/143 on violence against women migrant workers, resolution 59/262 on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, resolution 59/203 on respect for the right to universal freedom of travel and the vital importance of family reunification, resolution 59/194 on protection of migrants, resolution 59/145 on modalities, format and organization of the high-level plenary meeting of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly, as well as resolutions 57/270B, 58/190 and 58/208, in which it was decided to devote a high-level dialogue of the United Nations General Assembly to international migration and development, in order to discuss the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development and identify appropriate ways and means to maximize its development benefits and minimize its undesirable impacts, Recognizing that international migration requires a holistic and coherent approach based on shared responsibility, which also and concurrently addresses the root causes and consequences of migration, Recalling the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which deals with the violation of the human rights of trafficked persons, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, which deals with the need to punish smugglers, both of which supplement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, Reaffirming the obligation of all States to promote and protect basic human rights and fundamental freedoms for all migrants and their families regardless of their migrant status, reaffirming also the principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and recalling the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97), and the Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 (No.143), Recalling the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, Reaffirming the principles contained in the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 and the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees of 1967, and the need to strengthen the protection of refugees, Reaffirming the need, on the one hand, to strengthen the international protection regime providing protection and durable solutions for refugees and other persons of concern, including asylum-seekers, returnees and stateless people, which is of concern to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and on the other hand, to strengthen the protection capacity of refugee-receiving countries, Also recognizing that irregular migration is often caused by several different factors which demand special attention, Noting, however, that in the framework of globalization, while various multilateral trade initiatives are deepening free-market integration, opening commercial borders and eliminating or reducing trade barriers to flows of goods, capital and investments, some geographical borders are becoming increasingly closed, which in turn results in the restriction of people's rights and options for circulation, and for movement from one country to another, Recognizing that the developed nations are ageing and experiencing lower fertility rates and that migration can be an important factor in ensuring their future economic well being, Emphasizing that the emergent paradigms of migration, namely circular and transnational migration, represent a potential lever for development for sending and receiving countries, Recognizing that among other important domestic and international factors, the widening economic and social gap between and among many countries and the marginalization of some countries due in part to the uneven impact of the benefits of globalization and liberalization have contributed to the growth of regular and irregular flows of people between countries, Acknowledging the important contribution provided by migrants to development, and aware of the complex interrelationship between migration and development, Stressing that the global dimension of international migration calls for dialogue and cooperation aimed at improving the understanding of the migration phenomenon and at identifying appropriate ways and means to maximize its benefits and minimize its negative impacts, Acknowledging the growth in the number of female and child migrants and their particular vulnerability to exploitation and abuse, Recognizing the need for countries of origin, transit and destination to ensure that all migrants are not subjected to any kind of exploitation or discrimination and that the basic human rights and dignity of all migrants and their families, in particular of women migrant workers and migrant children, are respected and protected, Recognizing the negative effects that extreme forms of xenophobia and racism bring about, such as the emergence of groups applying murderous violence to migrants, as well as elements trafficking in drugs with connections to organized crime, and deploring these developments, Acknowledging that international migration has brought great benefits to migrants and their families, as well as to receiving countries and many communities of origin, Noting the importance of remittances transferred by migrant workers, which are one of the major sources of foreign exchange for many countries and which make an important contribution to the reduction of poverty and increase their development potential, albeit without constituting a substitute for endogenous development policies and international cooperation, Noting also that a general commitment to tolerance and mutual recognition facilitates the effective integration of migrants, helps to prevent and combat discrimination, xenophobia and violence against migrants and promotes respect, solidarity and tolerance in receiving societies, Recognizing that special attention should be paid to the linkages between migration and health issues, especially in relation to the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and that the lack of access to health services and treatment for migrants increases health risks both for migrants and for receiving societies, Taking note of the report of the Global Commission on International Migration to the United Nations Secretary-General, as well as of the Secretary-General's own report on international migration and development (A/59/325), and welcoming the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to hold a high-level dialogue on migration and development in 2006, Welcoming the informal organization of the Geneva Migration Group for regular discussions of the migration phenomenon by the heads of six international organizations, namely, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Labour Organization (ILO), Welcoming the initiatives taken by States to create regional and multilateral frameworks of cooperation in the field of migration which could serve as platforms for non-binding interstate consultative processes on migration issues, Acknowledging that interaction with key social actors, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other actors of civil society, enriches immigration policies and programmes, Recognizing that, in terms of migration flows, any country can concurrently fall into the categories of country of origin, transit and/or destination, and that governments and parliaments play a primary role in establishing migration polices,
*The delegation of Australia expressed reservations on the tenth preambular paragraph and on operative paragraph 5. The delegations of South Africa and Suriname expressed reservations on the twenty-second preambular paragraph with regard to the spread of HIV/AIDS. In addition, the delegation of South Africa expressed a reservation on operative paragraph 16. The delegations of Latvia and Georgia expressed reservations on operative paragraph 4 with regard to the establishment of mechanisms for financial compensation. The delegations of Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Sweden expressed reservations on the second part of operative paragraph 5. The delegation of Japan expressed a reservation on operative paragraph 21. The delegation of Thailand expressed reservations on operative paragraphs 27 and 28, citing the need for the establishment of action plans on migration and development in all countries, with the active involvement of parliaments, and with the sponsorship of the United Nations.
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