According to the International Organization on Migration (IOM), there were an estimated 191 million migrants worldwide in 2005, of which 49.5% were women, and 15-20% (30-40 million) were estimated to be ‘unauthorized’ migrants. Both categories of migrant workers have long been extremely vulnerable to abuse and exploitation owing, firstly, to an absence of legal guarantees for their protection.

Until this day, there remains to be no objective legal definition of migrants in an irregular situation, and there exists no ILO Convention expressly dealing with domestic workers, despite the existence of various ILO conventions which cite acceptable standards and remuneration that are applicable to domestic workers.

This appeal is made to address this detrimental gap and to call upon national human rights institutions in the Asia Pacific region to take leadership in setting the standards which would provide the foundations for human rights protection of these two vulnerable groups of migrants.

In 2006, the Jakarta Process1 commissioned a review which reframes the debate around migrants in an irregular situation and migrant domestic workers by calling for the recognition of human rights of these two migrant populations and by exploring the specific role of national human rights institutions in realizing such rights. This appeal is based on the concerns and recommendations documented in the Jakarta Processinitiated Review.

Download An Appeal to the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions based on the Jakarta Process Review Kuala Lumpur (PDF)