Resolution and the plan of work

Migration, a human right, 21 June 2004

Resolution

The Socialist International Committee on Migrations, meeting in Zacatecas on 21 June 2004:

1. Considering that nation states now face new and great challenges because of migratory phenomena;

2. Underlining that the political rights of all migrants are inseparable from human and social rights;

3. Highlighting the growing importance in the world economy of the transfers and flows of remittances generated by migrants;

4. Emphasising that the search for better living conditions and migration is a human right;

5. Recognising that the Socialist International agreed, at its last Council in Madrid, to create a new Committee on Migrations which has held its first meeting in Zacatecas, with Amalia García Medina as Chair and hosted by the Party of Democratic Revolution and the Institutional Revolutionary Party;

Agrees:

• to move forward a plan of work which takes into account the complexity of the phenomenon of migration and its consequences in terms of family, society, culture and the economy, as well as the widening of political rights which guarantee distance voting. In short, we will defend unconditionally the human rights of migrants;

• to propose a study of the channels for monetary transfers leading to a reduction in the cost of sending money for migrants, as well as the development of different programmes for utilising the remittances, so allowing productive investment by communities in their country of origin. Equally we propose to promote a worldwide campaign of recognising migration as one of the fundamental human rights to achieve a better quality of life and to guarantee the respect and dignified treatment of migrants;

• to implement this plan of work including meetings analysing and discussing diverse aspects of the phenomenon of migration in the framework of the new realities which different continents are living today, joining in this task as well with experts and representatives of organisations and institutions that study this theme, so as to produce a programme of action for the members of this International on a national, regional and global level.

Plan of work

Globalisation, economic divide, political conflict and environmental degradation are generating waves of migrations across the world. This phenomenon represents for our International a new area requiring answers for our peoples, in line with the values of solidarity, democracy and social justice.

The Socialist International Committee on Migrations seeks to generate a wide debate between member parties, the progressive intellectual community and other sectors of society at a global level on the key issues of migration and the challenges that this represents for democratic socialism.

This debate will endeavour to take place on two fronts: one related to the themes associated with the phenomenon of migration and the other related to the most important regional migratory phenomena of our age.

A) DIMENSIONS OF MIGRATION

Globalisation, inequalities and migration

• Human rights

Racial discrimination and social exclusion.

Nationalism and xenophobia.

International institutions and agreements on migrants.

Migration due to political conflict (refugees and displaced people).

Migrant women and children

Women, children and human rights.

Female labour and work rights

Child labour among migrants

• Work rights of migrants

Application of the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The role of social security and protection for all migrants.

• Remittances

Channels and the cost of transfers and sending of monies.

National and international norms for the regulation of the sending of money.

The productive and social use of remittances.

• Political rights of migrant communities

Migrants as bearers of their political rights.

Political and democratic participation of migrants in both their country of origin and receiving country.

• Cultural identity of transnational communities

Incorporation of migrant communities in places of residence.

Living together in multicultural societies (transculturalisation)

The global community and cultural unification

The impact of mass media on cultural identity.

B) REGIONAL MIGRATORY PHENOMENA

• Migration in Latin America to the United States and Europe

• African migration

• The Migratory phenomenon in the United States

• Migration in Europe

• Migration in Asia

• Migration in the Middle East