soenke's blog

Via RSD Watch: The American University in Cairo’s Forced Migration and Refugee Studies Program (FMRS) published a report on the intense protests of Sudanese refugees in Egypt that ended in December with the death of at least 28 people. The protests involved several thousand Sudanese frustrated by the suspension of refugee status determination and resettlement at UNHCR’s Cairo office. The forum update includes two commentaries that seek to find lessons for future refugee policy from the tragic events in Egypt, along with excerpts of the FMRS report.

Pan African News Agency, October 13, 2005, By Paul Ejime: Dakar - The heart-rending pictures of African youths using ladders to jump over razor-wire fences in their bid to enter Europe demonstrated the desperation of the future generation of a continent to escape what it considers a hopeless situation at home.

But the unorthodox emigration method also highlights the magnitude of a grave African malaise against the backdrop of
the much-touted New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the global lip-service paid to the Millennium Development Goals, especially poverty reduction.

Until now, the immigrants had been dashing across north African borders into Europe, especially Spain because of its more liberal immigration laws, but in the past three weeks, the waves of desperate young Africans, who have lost every hope on their countries had been trying to force their way through.

To
Die a Little: Migration and Coffee in Mexico and Central America By
Luis Hernández Navarro

Reyno
Bartolo Hernández died of heatstroke in the Arizona desert
near Yuma on May 22, 2001. He wasn’t the only Mexican farmer
who lost his life that day trying to cross the border. Thirteen of

The
strong demand for women's domestic, caring, and sexual labor in
contemporary Europe promotes migrations from many parts of the world
(report).
"The moral panic over trafficking and the limited feminist
debate on "prostitution" contribute to a climate that
ignores the social problems of the majority of women migrants".

Barnett,
Michael. "UNHCR and the Evolution of Humanitarianism.” Annual Meeting of
the International Studies Association , Montreal (03 July 2004). Access via
<http://archive.allacademic.com/publication/isa_index.php>

Anti-Slavery International's new
campaign action focuses on the European trafficking convention. This is an
opportunity to put the human rights of trafficked people at the heart of
efforts to combat trafficking in Europe. But this opportunity could be lost and
time is short. In Europe, women, children and men are trafficked from within
the continent and from countries in Africa, Asia and former Soviet republics,
into sexual exploitation and forced labour. They are often treated as illegal
immigrants and deported, rather than as people with rights which should be
protected. Anti-Slavery International believes that the proposed European
trafficking convention must contain strong measures to protect trafficked
people and to ensure they receive the support and protection they need. Go to <http://www.stophumantraffic.org/countrybg.html> for further information. Please
take a few minutes to write to the government ministers listed below to raise
your concerns. Cut and paste the following into a fresh email, letter or fax,
or if possible use your own words to personalise your message. Send it to the
addresses below, and copy it to your elected representative. Or you can take
this action online at  <http://www.stophumantraffic.org/country.html>

Do send us copies of any replies you receive.

Write to:

Renate Schmidt
Federal Minister
Ministry for Family Affairs
Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
Taubenstrasse 42/43
10117 Berlin
Germany
Fax: +49 (0)30 20 65 5 11 45
E-mail: info@bmfsfj.bund.de

Dominique Perben
Garde des Sceaux
Ministry of Justice
13, Place Vendôme
75001 Paris
France
Fax: +33 (0)1 44 77 61 15
cyberjustice@justice.gouv.fr

Des Browne
Minister of State
Home Office
50 Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1H 9AT
United Kingdom
Fax: +44 (0)20 7273 2043
E-mail: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Sample letter:

Dear ______

I welcome the Council of Europe's forthcoming Convention on Action Against
Trafficking in Human Beings and this opportunity to put the human rights of
trafficked people at the heart of European efforts to combat trafficking.

I would urge you to take action to ensure the following issues are dealt with
in the convention:

1. The European Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings should
create a comprehensive framework to respect and protect the human rights of
trafficked people. This must go beyond existing international standards to
ensure that trafficked people's human rights are at the centre of
anti-trafficking policy.

2. The convention should require states to take the following measures:

a) Trafficked people should be granted a minimum reflection period of three months.
This would allow them to remain in the country legally while they recover from
their ordeal and make an informed decision about their future.

b) During this time, trafficked people should have access to the full range of
assistance, protection and support services. As well as the measures already
set out in the draft convention, these should include financial support,
educational, training and employment opportunities, including the possibility
of obtaining a work permit.

c) Trafficked people should be granted residence permits in order to be
involved in legal or administrative proceedings, or where they have suffered or
are at risk of serious harm or abuse. Permits should be for a period of at
least six months and should be renewable, with the possibility of permanent
residence being granted, especially to those who remain vulnerable.

These measures are fundamental to the human rights of trafficked people and
should be taken regardless of whether a trafficked person co-operates with any
prosecution.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

[your name]
[your address]

Please get in touch if you would like any further information or campaigning
materials. Thank you for your support.

Sarah Williams
Campaigns Officer
Anti-Slavery International
s.williams@antislavery.org

At the 92nd session of the International Labour Conference, which was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 1-17 June, migrant workers and their advocates addressed the tripartite Committee on Migrant Workers, the committee of the Conference that is tasked to lead the general discussion on migrant workers. A Plan of Action was adopted at the end of the Conference: http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/2078.html