A Comprehensive Approach: Global, Regional and National Challenges and Solutions

1. EMN Conference Migration and Development, Oslo, June 18, 2012 A Comprehensive Approach: Global, Regional and National Challenges and Solutions Dr. Nicola Piper Arnold Bergstraesser Institute Freiburg University, Germany

2. Objectives: todevelop an analytical link betweenDevelopment, Mobility andRights – theDMRnexus torelatethistotheworldofwork/employmentin particular Introduction Dr. Nicola Piper

3. Migration and Development: re-emergenceof a topic • Pre-1990 • International migrationdiscussedunderhuman rightsframework • 1951 GenevaConvention • two ILO migrantworkerconventions (1948, 1975) • → culmination: 1990 UN Convention on theRightsof All • Migrant Workers • Post-1990 • shifttolinkingmigrationtodevelopment • 1994 Cairo Conference • Chapter X ofits Programme of Action referstomigrationwithin a developmentframework • 2003 Set-UpofGCIM • Leadingupto 2006 – appointmentof Peter Sutherland asSRSG on migration • anddevelopment • 2006 UN High Level Dialogueof International Migration and Development • sincethen, annuallyheld GFMDs

4. Global Level • GFMD • THE primary inter-governmentalplaceofdiscussionofmigrationpolicyandframework-setting • thisnowhappensonlywithin a developmentcontext • → advancementoftherightsofmigrantsregressed • → migrants‘ rightshavenearlydisappearedfrom inter- governmentaldiscourseatthehighestlevels

5. Global Level • Twomaindiscoursesandpolicyapproaches: • „Management of Migration“ • „Migration-Development Nexus“ • = dominant, state-leddiscourses • = increasinglyrestrictivepolicyenvironment • Counter-discourse: • 3. „Rights-Based Approach“ • = promotedby UN expertsandcivilsociety (tradeunions, migrant • associations, migrantrightsadvocates, faith-basedorganisations…..) • → thePeoples‘ Global Action for Migration, Development and Human • Rights

6. “Among people who move across national borders, just over a third moved from a developing to a developedcountry” → that is, fewer than 70 million (UNDP 2009:2) “Most international migrants movewithin major regions” (UN DESA 2011) What Migration? Dr. Nicola Piper

7. What Migration? • irregular, permanent, short-term rotating, andtemporary • migration (cf. Böhning 2009) • lowskilled – highlyskilled(but: „brainwaste“/de-skilling→ • issueoflow wage ratherthanskill) • work/employment in specificsectors/professions– some • sectorshavebeengivenmoreattentionthanothers (this also a • genderissue) • (Special Issue in Population, Space and Place, 2009, vol. 15(2), on „Rethinkingthe • Migration-Development Nexus“)

8. Whose Development? • Böhnung‘s (2009) conclusionthattheshort-term rotatingmigrantsmakethe • maximumtransferstohomedevelopment • BUT: • majorityofmigrants not this type! • Böhnungadmitsproblemswithempiricalevidence (plus: focus on contributionto • origin countries only) • exposureto high levelsofexpoitationunderminesofcapacitytocontributeto D • Whataboutthosemigrants‘ owndevelopment („here“ and „there“)? • → genderissues (esp. socio-cultural „push“ factors) • → high migrationcosts

9. Whose & What Development? Seers→ to Sen →to UNDP „Development requirestheremovalofmajorsourcesofunfreedom: povertyaswellastyranny, pooreconomicopportunitiesaswellassystematicsocialdeprivation, neglectofpublicfacilitiesaswellasintoleranceoroveractivityof repressive states“ (Sen, 1999:3) Whattendstobeunderplayedistheroleofmigration in thedevelopmentofdestination countries ………

10. WhatRights? • Rightsappear in contextof „themost vulnerable“: • victimsoftrafficking • children (esp. unaccompanied) • or in contextofhumanitarianassistance(„protection“) • asylumseekers • But not in contextof abusive practicesattheworkplace!!!! • → Nomentionoflabourinspections, workplacemonitoring! • → Nomentionof anti-discriminationpolicies/legislation! • → Nomentionof ILO Conventionsorcorelabourstandards!

11. institutionalisedformsofworkerrecruitment(Gulf, S-E Asia, South Africa) bilateral agreements, MoUs, regional mobilityregimes temporary, employer-tiedcontractmigration noorlittleaccesstosocialandwelfarerightsformajority re-regulation ofoccupations(Guy Standing) in Europe, awayfromguildstructuretostatemechanismsoflicensing in migration-developmentcontext: circularmigration lack ofgovernancecapacity + an expanding informal economy= high levelsofcorruption, exploitation, andthus, a significant human rightsdeficit sub-regional andcountry-specificvariationsofcourse! Implicationsforworldofwork Dr. Nicola Piper

12. origin countries: policyfocus on remittancesandbraindrain/gain recruitment destination countries: integration not subjecttopolicyeverywhere (norre-integration in origin countries) regularisation – but not panaceafor all problems! expansionofinformal, non-standard work certainsectors larger in the South thanin the North e.g. domesticwork National Policies/Issue Areas Dr. Nicola Piper

13. The Migrant Experience The Global Migrant subjected to…. → modern forms of slavery/forced labour/ economic “displacement” (un-/underemployment, non-payment or underpayment of wages etc.) → discrimination/downgrading (brain waste, deskilling, non-recognition of qualifications) → securitisation/criminalisation (“illegalisation”) → social costs (transnationally split families, marital break-up, children left behind etc.) due torights deficit in current policy making

14. Counter-arguments bycivilsociety

15. Regional mechanisms…. • …….for advancing the rights of migrants • regional human rights bodies/commissions • e.g. Inter-American Human Rights system • → regional special rapporteurship • → ground breaking ruling by IAHRC in 2002 asserting that • “all migrants, undocumented and documented alike, are covered by the principles of equality and equal protection” • “labour rights arise from the circumstances of being a worker, understood in the broadest sense”

16. Regional mechanisms Economic integration through free circulation of resources, capital, good, services, technology and people today in at least tenregional economic integration processes involving more than 110 countries (of 193 UN member states): EU, Andean Pact, ASEAN, CARICOM, CIS, COMESA, EAC, ECOWAS, MERCOSUR, SADC

17. ConcludingRemarks • Core of DMR Nexus: • Mobility rights (freedomofmovement) • Righttowork • Rights in work Dr. Nicola Piper

18. Mobility Rights • „The CivilRightWeare not Readyfor: The Rightof Free Movement of People“ • → title ofarticleby Roger Nett publishedin 1971 • he wrotethat, atsomepoint in thefuture • „…itmaywellbediscoveredthattherighttofreeand open movementof • people on thesurfaceoftheearthis fundamental tothestructureof human • opportunity“ (p. 218) • → pickedupby UNDP in its 2009 report on OvercomingBarriers – Human Mobility • and Development

19. Rightto Work/Rights in Work • Importanceof DECENT WORK („here“ and „there“) • Conceptually: • „Transnational Precariat“ (Nancy Fraser) • „Transnational Class“ (Sklair) • In termsof normative frameworkforpolicy: • groundbreakingrulingby Inter-American Court of HR • new ILO Conventionno. 189 on Decent Work forDomesticWorkers • → beyond North and South divide? • → post-migration paradigm?

20. Main challenge, hintat a solution… • Global Job/EmploymentCrisis • tacklingofun- andunderemployment • Institutionalcapacitybuilding • not only via focus on stateinstitutions but also civilsociety • = importantroleoflabourmovement • → bottom-up push

21. Hint at solutions..... • Global Level: • strengthening and support of the ILO • e.g. via ratification of ILO Convention no. 189 • lobbying for broader ILO membership on worker side (beyond traditional unions) • Regional/National Level : • adherence and promotion of core labour standards • improvement /implementation of labour law/labour standards • inclusion of social clauses into regional charters • inclusion of social clauses into BLAs

22. Thank you for your attention!