South-South multilateral agreements and the protection of migrants’ human rights

Cosmas GittaSpecial Unit for South-South Cooperation, UNDP

SSC for development

Objectives: Discuss the Status of South-South migration.Discuss reasons and opportunities of South-South mobility Discuss South-South cooperation and Human right nexusWay forward and recommendations

Status of South-South migration

South-South migration is nearly as large as South-North migration.

Accounts for nearly half (74 million) of the total migration(WB)

80 % estimated to take place between countries with contiguous borders, and most appears to occur between countries with relatively small differences in income (WB).

Status of South-South migration

Nearly 70% of internal migrants in sub-Saharan Africa move within the region.

In 2010 only one in four migrants moved from a developing to a developed country.

South-South human mobility and its effects have become a matter of great importance to the development prospects of the South.

Reasons and Opportunities of SS mobility

Search for better living conditions Escape from conflicts or natural disastersUnequal distribution of wealth and other

opportunities, labor supply and skills asymmetries.

Improved access to education, health and other benefits (UNDP 2009 report)

Transfer of social capital –ideas and values often impacting positively on development prospects of origin countries

SS remittances range from 10 to 29 % of developing countries’ remittance receipts in 2005.

Reasons and Opportunities of SS mobility

Search for better living conditions escape from conflicts or natural disastersunequal distribution of wealth and other

opportunities, labor supply and skills asymmetries.

Improved access to education, health and other benefits (UNDP 2009 report)

Transfer of social capital –ideas and values often impacting positively on development prospects of origin countries

SS remittances range from 10 to 29 % of developing countries’ remittance receipts in 2005.

Challenges in SS mobility

Experiencing adversity in transit and in destination countries

Difficulty obtaining travel documents-- often end up as irregular migrants with limited rights

Integration challenges owing to lack of knowledge of social and working environment, falling prey to human trafficking, xenophobia and other deprivations

Challenges in SS mobility

Unequal access to educational, health and other services—inadequate integration policies—or status of forced or irregular migration

Likely to live in less favourable circumstances than most South-North migrants, in terms of income, housing and legal protection.

Relatively less protected by governments of origin and destination-- subject to both gross exploitation in labour markets and large-scale expulsions.

Challenges in SS mobility

States may view laborers as temporary-- few rights, despite evidence of permanent settlement

Low-wage, low-skilled jobs -- exposure to risks of erratic global economic system

 Weak social, economic and legal protections-- more vulnerable and less able to enhance their capabilities and contribute to human development. (HDRPp.54)

Why human rights? Human rights constitute sharable moral claims

upon the organization of society towards the goal of safeguarding a life of justice and dignity, through the protection of the powerless from the powerful and guarantees for satisfying the basis needs of all.

Human rights imply a duty of organizing society to free individuals from unjust intrusions and constraints simply because they are human beings.

These principles requires laws that make them more enforceable.—(Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on civil and Political Rights)

Regional agreements and migrant rightMany attempts to regulate migration

through regional integration agreements.

Regional agreements used to promote labor mobility for increased regional economic development

… Regional Agreements- Africa

ECOWAS:1979 the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopted the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, the Right of Residence and Establishment.

Other initiatives: The Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA).

In practice, the movement is often hindered by corruption of police and border officials and the levels of bureaucracy.

Only 11 countries in Africa had policy on integration of non-citizens by 2005, (HDRPp.47)

Migrant groups face substantial integration problems, even long after arrival and face xenophobia- (HDRPp.46)

… Regional Agreements- Asia ASEAN: In Asia, states often sign bilateral

agreements to regulate movement of migrants. ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

has 1997 Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. (HDRPp.51)

Integration policies are starting to emerge in some parts of Asia,

Common practice is to focus on temporary labor migration without the expectation that it will lead to settlement. (HDRPp.48)

Multiculturalism and turning immigrants into citizens is unpopular (HDRPp.47)

Popular sentiments--migration policies be concerned with restriction not migration management; immigrants should not be allowed to settle; (HDRPp.48)

… Regional Agreements- LAC ACP secretariat is working to develop a list of

indicators on the impact of South-South migration on development --- This will lead to:

better understanding of what impact South-South migration has on peoples’ access to education, healthcare, credit, etc.

mechanisms needed if South-South migrants are to be better integrated into the communities they migrate to in order to improve their access to services.

equipping policy makers with evidence-based information on South-South migration and its impact on forced migration, trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants and related development implications

Broad research topics- LAC The impact of South-South migration on human

development; Enhancing South-South remittances; Diaspora mapping; South-South labour migration; The impact of internal migration on development; Forced migration as a consequence of natural

disasters; Irregular migration in ACP countries, including

trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants; The environment, climate change and migration in

ACP countries; and Cross-cutting issues, such as health, gender,

human rights and other topics.

The Way forward

National implementation of regional agreements for the protection of migrants rights.

Integration policies that translate South-South solidarity into action.

Development initiatives to reduce forced migration

Thank you!