Search -
Living in the Shadows: A Primer on the Human Rights of Migrants
Living in the Shadows A Primer on the Human Rights of Migrants Author:Amnesty International Every year thousands of people die while trying to reach other countries. Many of those who arrive in a new country face further abuse and exploitation at the hands of traffickers, unscrupulous employers and state officials. Those who lack official status and the protection of the law are often denied the right to education, health and housing a... more »nd are condemned to live and work in appalling and degrading conditions. Migrants' rights are human rights, and governments, communities, employers and individuals should do more to uphold and protect them. This human rights primer presents an overview of the rights of migrants. It outlines how government policies and practices should protect the human rights of migrants at all stages in the cycle of migration. It highlights some of the human rights violations that many migrants face, and sets out an agenda for campaigning for migrants' rights. There is a substantial body of international human rights law and standards which guarantees the human rights of migrants. The problem, however, is that governments and others lack the will to turn these guarantees into practical and meaningful measures. Action is needed to make the rights set out in international standards into a reality for individual migrants. At the heart of Amnesty International's proposed agenda for campaigning for migrants' right is a call to treat all migrants with full respect for their human rights and human dignity.« less