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inTernaTionaL miGraTion ConVenTion

Protection of migrant workers and their families is addressed
in the International Convention on the Protection of the
Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their
Families, which entered into force in July 2003. Migrant
workers and their families are particularly vulnerable to being
subject to exploitation and violations of their human rights.

Contents
Under the Convention on Migrant Workers, migrant workers’
rights fall into two main headings:

• Migrant workers and their family’s Human Rights
(Part III): applicable to all migrant workers, including
undocumented workers.
• Other rights migrant workers and their family members
have (Part IV): these apply only to migrant workers in a
steady job.

1. Migrant workers and their family members’
human rights

There are no different human rights for those who are
migrant workers in this Convention. This Convention, in
Part III, restates the basic human rights outlined in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Most nations have
human rights treaties that elaborate on this Convention.

Why is another International Legal Instrument necessary
in order to defend these rights?

Migrant workers and members of their family are often
subjected to dehumanizing treatment. Their basic human
rights are are ignored. In some States, migrants, especially
undocumented migrants, are denied the basic rights
afforded to citizens.

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