ID :
148401
Tue, 11/02/2010 - 11:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/148401
The shortlink copeid
MIGRANT WORKER GROUPS REVIEW SINGAPORE'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD
SINGAPORE, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- Solidarity for Migrant Workers, a coalition of
non-governmental migrants organisations, on Monday submitted to the Human Rights
Council its universal periodic review report.
Monday is the deadline for the report on the status of the rights of migrant
workers, undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, seafarers, foreign
brides and trafficked migrants in Singapore.
SMW in a statement acknowledged the steps taken by the government in recent
years to provide better protection for migrant workers.
But added that it observed with concern that there remained state policies and
practices that eroded the rights of migrants as enshrined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights 1948.
SMW, comprising Human Organisation for Migrant Economics, Transient Workers
Count Too and Migrant Voices, was formed to promote the rights of the migrant
community in Singapore through research, welfare services, advocacy and the
arts.
On the back of its report to the Human Rights Council, the organisation urged
the government to review its policies, practices and regulations for better
protection of the rights of migrants.
It called in particular for an end to alleged discrimination against migrant
domestic workers, who were among "the poorest of poor workers in the world," and
for them to be fully recognised under the Singapore Employment Act.
SMW said that all migrant domestic workers should be entitled to weekly rest days,annual leave, medical leave and maternity leave and, most significantly, to be equal before the law.
It also called on the government to initiate multilateral agreements with countries that send migrant workers to Singapore to address malpractices among recruitment agencies that exploit migrant labour.
SMW added that the city-state should look to establish an independent National Human Rights Commission to monitor and report human rights violation in the country, and enact an anti-human trafficking law that identifies victims of trafficking according to terms consistent with the Palermo Protocols.
It also urged the government to ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,and other conventions concerning migrants.
SMW also recommended that the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking in Singapore and mandatory caning be reviewed for immigration offenders, saying they could well be migrant "drug mules" and trafficked victims.
non-governmental migrants organisations, on Monday submitted to the Human Rights
Council its universal periodic review report.
Monday is the deadline for the report on the status of the rights of migrant
workers, undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, seafarers, foreign
brides and trafficked migrants in Singapore.
SMW in a statement acknowledged the steps taken by the government in recent
years to provide better protection for migrant workers.
But added that it observed with concern that there remained state policies and
practices that eroded the rights of migrants as enshrined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights 1948.
SMW, comprising Human Organisation for Migrant Economics, Transient Workers
Count Too and Migrant Voices, was formed to promote the rights of the migrant
community in Singapore through research, welfare services, advocacy and the
arts.
On the back of its report to the Human Rights Council, the organisation urged
the government to review its policies, practices and regulations for better
protection of the rights of migrants.
It called in particular for an end to alleged discrimination against migrant
domestic workers, who were among "the poorest of poor workers in the world," and
for them to be fully recognised under the Singapore Employment Act.
SMW said that all migrant domestic workers should be entitled to weekly rest days,annual leave, medical leave and maternity leave and, most significantly, to be equal before the law.
It also called on the government to initiate multilateral agreements with countries that send migrant workers to Singapore to address malpractices among recruitment agencies that exploit migrant labour.
SMW added that the city-state should look to establish an independent National Human Rights Commission to monitor and report human rights violation in the country, and enact an anti-human trafficking law that identifies victims of trafficking according to terms consistent with the Palermo Protocols.
It also urged the government to ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,and other conventions concerning migrants.
SMW also recommended that the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking in Singapore and mandatory caning be reviewed for immigration offenders, saying they could well be migrant "drug mules" and trafficked victims.
