Statement by Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and CARAM Asia
For International Day of Solidarity with Migrant Workers
18-12-2006
Recognizing the contribution of migrant workers should foster a better understanding between migrant and worker communities.
This in turn can improve conditions for the hardworking expatriate community, and improve the Gulf’s position as a host region.
Countries such as the gulf region receive millions of migrant workers seeking employment as a result of poverty, unemployment, conflict or even natural disasters.
Statement by Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and CARAM Asia
For International Day of Solidarity with Migrant Workers
18-12-2006
Recognizing the contribution of migrant workers should foster a better understanding between migrant and worker communities.
This in turn can improve conditions for the hardworking expatriate community, and improve the Gulf’s position as a host region.
Countries such as the gulf region receive millions of migrant workers seeking employment as a result of poverty, unemployment, conflict or even natural disasters.
More and more, international migration is being seen as contributing to development. Many migrants reinvest in their home, which improves the local economy and can contribute towards poverty reduction.
Host countries benefit from the products of migrant workers’ labor, including vital infrastructure (such as the construction of roads and buildings) and essential services (such as sanitation, domestic help and health care).
Unfortunately migrants face class, race and gender discrimination, and have emerged as the most vulnerable group in today’s globalised world.
Vulnerability to HIV infection is greatest when people live and work in conditions of poverty, social exclusion, loneliness and anonymity.
Health
Recognizing the “right to health” of migrant communities will improve the general health situation in both origin and host countries.
As a host country, Gulf countries should not withhold health care and benefits, or deny the health rights of the migrant communities because of financial constraints or legal status.
Subjecting migrant workers to compulsory health tests related to sexual and reproductive health violates their basic human rights to freedom, privacy, and dignity, and contributes to discrimination and stigmas against them.
These mandatory tests should be removed.
A dangerous result of enforcing such procedures is that migrant workers are driven underground. This means they are cut off from social and medical service providers that provide important information on how the HIV infection is transmitted, and how infection can be prevented.
HIV-positive migrant workers can continue to work productively and contribute to society for many years.
This must be recognized.
Migrant workers should enjoy a life of dignity with brought about by the highest standard of health attainable, as is laid out in International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Recommendations
Migrants should be given special attention in National health and AIDS Action Plans
All governments, embassies, recruitment agencies, employers, and other relevant stakeholders must take steps to protect, promote and ensure documented and undocumented migrant workers’ access to accurate health information and affordable, quality health.
Migrant workers around the world must be directly involved in the discussion, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of laws, policies and programmes aiming to protect and promote migrant workers’ health.
Reproductive and sexual health status should not be a precondition for employment.
Remove mandatory testing related to sexual and reproductive health. Instead comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services including pre- and post-test counseling, access to ARV treatment, care and support must be given to migrants to encourage voluntary testing.
Specifically,
At the primary health care level, user fees should not be imposed, irrespective of nationality of the patient.