No. MRI/MWC2008/02 1 October 2008 ENGLISH
Re: Jamaica Ratifies the UN Migrant Workers Convention (MWC)
Dear Friends,
We are pleased to inform you that Jamaica has ratified the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (MWC).
Many congratulations to the civil society actors and others who worked hard for this achievement.
Migrants Rights International is currently in the process of developing partnership for further efforts in the global campaign for universal ratification. Jamaica is the 39th State to ratify the MWC. After 18 years of existence, the Convention has still not been ratified by the other 153 UN member states. No Western migrant-receiving country has ratified the Convention.
If your organization is interested in working with us on ratification of the MWC in your country, please contact us at migrantsrightsinternational@gmail.com.
Please find below additional information about the Migrant Workers Convention, including a list of the countries that have ratified.
Best wishes,
Migrants Rights International
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Frequently Asked Questions regarding the MWC:
What is the Migrant Workers' Convention (MWC)?
The MWC is an international treaty adopted by the United Nations in 1990 protecting the rights of migrant workers and their family members.
What rights does the MWC protect?
MWC establishes protections for all migrant workers - both documented and undocumented - with regard to civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. It also protects family members of migrant workers.
Why is the MWC important?
The MWC is the principal United Nations human rights convention on the rights of migrant workers and their family members. It contains broader protections for migrants' rights than most national legislation.
How can the MWC be used to protect migrants' rights?
If a country has ratified the MWC: The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CMW) overviews the implementation of the MWC. NGOs can submit information to the Committee to advocate that governments respect, protect and fulfill migrants' rights.
If a country has not ratified the MWC: NGOs and other groups can use the Convention for advocacy, public education and analysis. They can also advocate for ratification of the MWC by their government.
Is the MWC legally binding for my country?
Check if your country has ratified the MWC. If your country has ratified the MWC, it has the obligation under international law to abide by the provisions in the Convention. Until now only 39 states have ratified the MWC.
What is ratification?
Ratification is a procedure by which a state becomes Party to a treaty. It is different in each country, but usually, it is a decision made by the legislative branch of the government (such as the congress or parliament). Once it has ratified the State is legally bound. Signature by the executive branch (usually the president, prime minister, or other type of the head of state) often is the first step to ratification. Signature creates the obligation for the State to refrain from acts that would defeat the objectives of the Conventions or to take measures to undermine it.
States that have ratified the MWC:
Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay
States that have signed (but not yet ratified) the MWC:
Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Liberia, Montenegro, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Togo
(Signature is a step that precedes ratification) |
