including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, and underlining the contribution they can make to international peace
and security, alongside the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the relevant
regional instruments,
Reaffirming the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all rights,
civil, political, economic, social and cultural,
Welcoming the entry into force of the International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and
recognizing the important work that its Committee to Protect the Rights of all Migrant
Workers and Members of Their Families is mandated to undertake,
Recognizing that the International Convention provides an important baseline
for assessing respect for migrant workers’ rights,
Recognizing also the unique role played by national institutions in applying
international human rights standards at the national level, including as provided for in
the Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and
protection of human rights (General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 20 December
1993, annex), regarding the ratification of international human rights instruments,
thereby ensuring sustainability of human rights protection,
Noting that the situation of migrant workers and their families has become a
critical contemporary human rights issue worldwide, particularly in relation to
exploitation by traffickers, people smugglers, recruitment agents and corrupt officials;
deaths and injury in transit; discrimination, exploitation, vulnerability and sexual
abuse in countries of destination; and treatment in cases of detention, arrest and
repatriation,
Recognizing that it is impossible to suppress the desire to migrate by legal
means and enforcement, in particular where it results from conflict, unemployment,
poverty or oppression,
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