500 representatives from Global migrants groups and trade unions converged
at the Rajah Sulayman Park for a symbolic march to the new PGA venue, the
Malate Catholic School. 25th of October 2008 marked the day when members of
global CSOs, trade unions, mgirant organizations converged after a series of
self organized activities on migration development. They all marched to
Korean drumbeats, chanting slogans like: "Migrants Rights are Human
Rights!", "EU Directiba ibasura!" (Throw EU return directive to the
garbage!) and waving banners stating their calls for the protection of
migrants in different languages.
These self organized activiites included:
- The Regional Conference on Migration (Migrant Forum in Asia)
- Global Trade Union Forum on Migration (Global Unions)
- Pilipino Time (organized by Unlad Kabayan and MFA members from the
Philippines)
- Collateral Damage: The Impact of Anti-Trafficking Policies on Human Rights
of Migrant and Trafficked Persons
- Policy Debates on Migration and Children of Migrant Workers (Save the
Children UK)
- workshop on the feminizaiton of migration (womens march)
- A forum on Borders, Detention, Deportion: The International Regime of
Migration Policy Enforcement
- Public Services International Forum on Migration, Development and Quality
Public Services
- A Forum of National Trade Union Centers in Asia (KCTU, APL, HKCTU, SEWA,
GEFONT, MCTU) & Global Network Asia
- A Forum on Marriage Migration
-Migrants rights in Latin America & the Caribbean: Information Sharing and
Strategy discussion (MRI, CELS, CAREF )
-Global Union Forum on Migration - "Movement of Workers: Unions Beyond
Borders"
Foro del Gremio Global de Trabajadores (Global Union) sobre la Migracion -
"Movimientos de Trabajadores: Gremios mas Alla de las Fronteras"
-Perspectives from Africa and the Diaspora on Migrants rights and migration
POLICY: International sharing and strategy discussion (IRPAD, PAN, MRI)
-Towards Universal Ratification And Effective Implementation of the Migrant
Workers Convention (Migrants Rights International)
- Migration, Development and Globalization: The Impact on the Rights of
Migrants Migracion, Desarrollo & Globalizacion: El Impacto en los Derechos
de los Migrantes (National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (NNIRR)
Speakers at the Global Plenary included:
Sumiati (Coalition for Migrants Rights)
Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba (Mexican Ambassador to the United Nations)
Gemma Adaba (ITUC)
Mamadou Goita (Institue de Recherche et de Promotion des Alternatives en
Development)
Rex Varona (Asian Migrant Center)
Migrant leader Sumiati of the Coaliton for Migrants Rights(CMR) and founder
of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union(IMWU) said that she was happy that
migrant workers are well represented in the Peoples Global action and are
given a chance to speak about their issues. She also spoke about the
upcoming International Labour Conference of the ILO where decent work for
domestic workers will be discussed and called on the support of trade unions
to lobby for a standard setting on domestic workers and to recognize
domestic work as work, in particular to recognize migrant domestic workers
as workers.
Ambassador de Alba gave a rousing speech concerning the vital role of the
civil society and trade union movement in protecting and promoting the
rights of migrant workers:
" Those who are here today have a responsibility and I have, we all have, to
live up to that responsibility."
Gemma Adaba of the ITUC emphasized on the importance of collaboration among
trade unions, NGOs and migrants groups in moving towards better protection
of the rights of migrant workers.
Mamadou Goita spoke on the importance of bringing together global civil
society to address the issues of migrant workers.
Rex Varona discussed the migration landscape in Asia particularly on
developing countries' strategy of using migration as part of its economic
development policy. He lamented that in the Philippines, host of the GFMD,
statistics show that two migrant workers come home dead everyday, yet the
Philippine government still strongly pushes for the deployment of more
migrant workers.
The presentations and speeches was followed by cultural performances led by
women migrant workers groups, Batis AWARE and Batis Center. The BATIS YOGI,
an organization of children of migrant workers (Japanese Filipino Children)
also gave a cultural presentation portraying migration from the point of
view of the children of migrant workers.
Today, the PGA will be continuing its workshops, open forums, exhibits and
cultural programs at the Malate Catholic school. We hope that you can join
us at the Malate Catholic School in Malate, Manila, Philippines.
In Peace and Solidarity,
Tatcee Macabuag
Migrant Forum in Asia Secretariat
at the Rajah Sulayman Park for a symbolic march to the new PGA venue, the
Malate Catholic School. 25th of October 2008 marked the day when members of
global CSOs, trade unions, mgirant organizations converged after a series of
self organized activities on migration development. They all marched to
Korean drumbeats, chanting slogans like: "Migrants Rights are Human
Rights!", "EU Directiba ibasura!" (Throw EU return directive to the
garbage!) and waving banners stating their calls for the protection of
migrants in different languages.
These self organized activiites included:
- The Regional Conference on Migration (Migrant Forum in Asia)
- Global Trade Union Forum on Migration (Global Unions)
- Pilipino Time (organized by Unlad Kabayan and MFA members from the
Philippines)
- Collateral Damage: The Impact of Anti-Trafficking Policies on Human Rights
of Migrant and Trafficked Persons
- Policy Debates on Migration and Children of Migrant Workers (Save the
Children UK)
- workshop on the feminizaiton of migration (womens march)
- A forum on Borders, Detention, Deportion: The International Regime of
Migration Policy Enforcement
- Public Services International Forum on Migration, Development and Quality
Public Services
- A Forum of National Trade Union Centers in Asia (KCTU, APL, HKCTU, SEWA,
GEFONT, MCTU) & Global Network Asia
- A Forum on Marriage Migration
-Migrants rights in Latin America & the Caribbean: Information Sharing and
Strategy discussion (MRI, CELS, CAREF )
-Global Union Forum on Migration - "Movement of Workers: Unions Beyond
Borders"
Foro del Gremio Global de Trabajadores (Global Union) sobre la Migracion -
"Movimientos de Trabajadores: Gremios mas Alla de las Fronteras"
-Perspectives from Africa and the Diaspora on Migrants rights and migration
POLICY: International sharing and strategy discussion (IRPAD, PAN, MRI)
-Towards Universal Ratification And Effective Implementation of the Migrant
Workers Convention (Migrants Rights International)
- Migration, Development and Globalization: The Impact on the Rights of
Migrants Migracion, Desarrollo & Globalizacion: El Impacto en los Derechos
de los Migrantes (National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (NNIRR)
Speakers at the Global Plenary included:
Sumiati (Coalition for Migrants Rights)
Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba (Mexican Ambassador to the United Nations)
Gemma Adaba (ITUC)
Mamadou Goita (Institue de Recherche et de Promotion des Alternatives en
Development)
Rex Varona (Asian Migrant Center)
Migrant leader Sumiati of the Coaliton for Migrants Rights(CMR) and founder
of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union(IMWU) said that she was happy that
migrant workers are well represented in the Peoples Global action and are
given a chance to speak about their issues. She also spoke about the
upcoming International Labour Conference of the ILO where decent work for
domestic workers will be discussed and called on the support of trade unions
to lobby for a standard setting on domestic workers and to recognize
domestic work as work, in particular to recognize migrant domestic workers
as workers.
Ambassador de Alba gave a rousing speech concerning the vital role of the
civil society and trade union movement in protecting and promoting the
rights of migrant workers:
" Those who are here today have a responsibility and I have, we all have, to
live up to that responsibility."
Gemma Adaba of the ITUC emphasized on the importance of collaboration among
trade unions, NGOs and migrants groups in moving towards better protection
of the rights of migrant workers.
Mamadou Goita spoke on the importance of bringing together global civil
society to address the issues of migrant workers.
Rex Varona discussed the migration landscape in Asia particularly on
developing countries' strategy of using migration as part of its economic
development policy. He lamented that in the Philippines, host of the GFMD,
statistics show that two migrant workers come home dead everyday, yet the
Philippine government still strongly pushes for the deployment of more
migrant workers.
The presentations and speeches was followed by cultural performances led by
women migrant workers groups, Batis AWARE and Batis Center. The BATIS YOGI,
an organization of children of migrant workers (Japanese Filipino Children)
also gave a cultural presentation portraying migration from the point of
view of the children of migrant workers.
Today, the PGA will be continuing its workshops, open forums, exhibits and
cultural programs at the Malate Catholic school. We hope that you can join
us at the Malate Catholic School in Malate, Manila, Philippines.
In Peace and Solidarity,
Tatcee Macabuag
Migrant Forum in Asia Secretariat
