There is abundant evidence that migrants, and in particular migrant women and unaccompanied children, are often denied access to health and education; subjected to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse; prevented from reuniting with their families, and detained and deported in conditions that violate international human rights standards and make them vulnerable to networks of smuggling and trafficking in persons. Moreover, the abuses confronted by migrants at all phases of the migratory process are often exacerbated by discrimination. This discrimination may be both implicit, in the lack of mechanisms of protection for migrants, and explicit, in the form of discriminatory national legislations and outright acts of racism or xenophobia.

We must all work together to ensure that migrants are empowered to make informed decisions concerning their future, and that they have access to recourse for abuses against them. Most importantly, migrants must be recognized for their valuable economic, cultural and social contributions in both countries of origin and destination.

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families has now entered into force, having just received its twentieth ratification. The challenge now is to build on this important achievement. I call upon Member States who have not yet ratified or acceded to the Convention to do so, as soon as possible, as a way to ensure the full and effective protection of the human rights of migrants.

For more information on Migrant issues and International Migrant’s day, please visit: http://www.december18.net/intro.htm#one

Please also read:
UN officials urge greater protection for world's migrants:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=5693&Cr=migrants&Cr1=

U.N. Photo of Secretary-General Kofi Annan