United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Gabriela Rodriguez, welcomed today the ratification by Uruguay on 15 February 2001 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.
This latest ratification adds to those by Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Uganda. The following 10 States have also signed the Convention, the first step towards ratification: Bangladesh, Chile, Comoros, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Paraguay, Sao Tome & Principe, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Turkey. Only four more ratifications are necessary to see the Convention enter into force.
Gabriela Rodriguez, who has just arrived from Teheran where she participated in the regional preparatory meeting for Asia of the World Conference against Racism, underlined that the Convention is a crucial instrument to fight against discrimination, racism and xenophobia against migrants. She urged countries to give the "final push" that would ensure the entry into force of the Convention before the World Conference, which will be held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001.
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