Viewpoints and Advocacy

Themes and Issues

20th Ratification of the 1990 Migrants Rights Convention

On International Human Rights Day (10 December 2002), Timor-Leste (East Timor) signed up to the 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. This paved the way for the Convention to come into force, which it did on 1 July 2003. For more details see the December 2003 statement (pdf) by the Steering Committee for the Global Campaign for Ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Following news of the Timor-Leste decision, Mariette Grange, Former ICMC Advocacy Officer, made the following comment:

"ICMC welcomes the opening of a new era for the protection of migrants.

As a member of the Steering Committee for the Global Campaign for the Ratification of the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, ICMC celebrates the landmark ratification of the Convention by Timor-Leste. This 20th ratification, by the youngest member of the United Nations, paves the way for the final entry into force of the only comprehensive instrument protecting migrants.

ICMC strongly urges other member states to follow Timor-Leste's bold and responsible step. ICMC views this treaty as a cornerstone to the various international migration management initiatives currently underway at the regional and international level."

The full text of the Steering Committee's joint press release, to which ICMC contributed, is available.