New York, 18 December 1990
Objectives
The globalization of markets, information and technology, as well as the
liberalization of many laws affecting individuals' mobility, has enabled
vast movements of people on a scale never seen before. The objective of
this Convention is to create international standards for the protection
of the human rights of migrant workers and their families.
The reasons individuals migrate vary greatly. Some individuals migrate
in order to escape desperate conditions in their home countries, such as
war or famine. Others seek better living conditions in countries where
economic opportunities seem to be more abundant or more equitable.
However, all migrant workers are vulnerable to abuse by virtue of the fact
that they are living in a foreign country. In fact, many fall victim to
human traffickers who recruit them under false pretences and some are even
held against their will under slavelike conditions.
Migrants may face many forms of discrimination on the part of the institutions
and laws of their host country or its people. They are often restricted
by law in the kind of employment or conditions of work in which they can
engage, even in cases where they were encouraged by foreign companies or
Governments to settle in the host country.
Key Provisions
The adoption of this Convention in 1990 was an historic event for migrant
workers. It establishes, in certain areas, the principle of equality of
treatment with nationals for all migrant workers and their families, irrespective
of their legal status.
This Convention sets forth, for the first time, internationally uniform definitions agreed upon by States for different categories of migrant workers. States also agreed upon the need for the sending, transit and receiving countries to institute protective action on behalf of the migrant workers.
The Convention establishes standards to which States parties must adhere
with respect to migrant workers. It incorporates six international human
rights treaties that are today in force. It also provides for the establishment
of a monitoring mechanism in the form of an international body of independent
experts. This independent body will periodically review the implementation
of the Convention by States parties to the Convention.