GOOD ADVANCES FOR MIGRANTS' RIGHTS

by Dafne Sabanes Plou

Durban, 7 September - Discussions on migrants' rights in relation to racist, discriminative or xenophobic practices against them are coming to good terms. Special spokeswoman on migrants' rights at the World Conference Against Racism, the psychologist Gabriela Rodriguez from Costa Rica, presented the issue to the migrant caucus, where representatives from organisations from all around the world were present. Rodriguez assessed that the advances reached in the Declaration and Programme of Action, that will be voted at the World Conference this afternoon, mark a way of recognition that will allow overcoming practices that marginalize migrants from rights recognised to the rest of the population.

Article 121 of the Programme of Action recommends receiving countries to contemplate the provision of adequate services in the spheres of health, education and accommodation as priority questions. Article 122 encourages States to establish national programmes to promote the access, without any discrimination, to education, health assistance and other social services. Article 123 encourages States to forbid direct or indirect discrimination by nationality of civil, administrative and labour laws, with the aim to fight effectively against discrimination towards non-nationals, particularly migrant workers and refugees.

Within this sequence of articles, 129 States should give adequate protection to avoid exploitation to victims from racism, as in the case of domestic employees, dangerous jobs or bad remunerated.

Ramona Alvarez Fleitas, migrant woman from Paraguay in Argentina, recognised the improvements and highlighted that a follow up will be important in the countries where these recommendations are to be put into practice.

Ramona and Natividad Obeso Gonzalez, a Peruvian migrant in Argentina and Rosalia Quipu, a Bolivian migrant in the same country were part of the official Argentinean delegation with the support from the National Institute Against Discrimination (INADI).

During the Forum of NGOs and the World Conference, the three women, who belong to the most recent groups of migrants arriving in Argentina since the second half of the twentieth century, had the opportunity to share their experiences in the migrant caucus. They believe that although there is not an explicit discrimination of migrants in Argentina, the Migration Law that still is applied in this country was dictated during the former military dictatorship. It discourages the settlement of migrants. It also includes repressive aspects that are applied subtly by public employees and the police.

Natividad Obeso Gonzalez had the opportunity to talk to the plenary of the World Conference during the time given to non-governmental organisations. She did it as a member of the organisation 'Peruvian Women in Action', based in Buenos Aires. In her speech she referred to the feminisation of Peruvian migration in Argentina, where women represent around the 70% of total migration. She highlighted that the difficulty to obtain the necessary documentation generates labour exclusion and exploitation, low salaries and the lack of access to public health services.

Obeso added that, through the media, Peruvian migrants have been stereotyped as thieves and delinquents, what brings about highly xenophobic behaviours against them. However, she asserted that Peruvian women migrants in Argentina have shown a high level of organisation, becoming speakers to authorities in order to look for solutions and the awareness of the community towards a work of solidarity to promote a harmonious co-existence.

Dafne Sabanes Plou is a freelance journalist from the International Team of Women in Media. This article was received through the Women Action Mailing List