A group of 31 Asia-Pacific nations have agreed to a regional agenda
to take to the November meeting of the Global Forum on Migration
and Development (GFMD) in Mexico.

At a three-day meeting in Bangkok organized by the UN Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and IOM,
delegates from migrant worker sending and receiving countries in
the region agreed upon a set of recommendations to present at the
Forum.

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alt="" border="0" height="12" hspace="0" src=
"/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/graphics/interface/icons_buttons/blue_link_box.gif"> "/jahia/Jahia/events/eventAS/cache/offonce?entryId=28163" title=
"">Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting to the 2010 Global
Forum on Migration and Development

They called for the integration of labour migration management
strategies into national development plans and poverty reduction
strategies, and underlined the need for further development of
bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the area of migration
management.

They also called for efforts to mainstream labour, migration,
population and development policies that respect international
labour standards and protect the rights of all migrant workers,
particularly women and children, and an end to stigmatization and
discrimination against migrants.

Delegates noted that minimum standards for health services for
migrants and their families, including health financial schemes,
health insurance abroad, and social protection in health, need to
be developed.

They also pointed to the need for more pre-departure orientation
and training for migrant workers, including better information
about the terms and conditions of their employment and the language
and culture of their countries of destination.

Recruitment agencies in countries of origin and employers in
countries of destination need to be more effectively regulated and
ethical codes of conduct promoted and monitored.

Reducing the costs associated with migration and improving the
financial literacy and entrepreneurship of migrants and their
families could improve the impact of development on migration, they
noted.

Delegates also called for renewed efforts to deal with migrant
smuggling and trafficking in persons, through strengthened law
enforcement efforts, and the dismantling of criminal networks.

Further information on the meeting, which was hosted by the
Asia-Pacific Regional Thematic Working Group on International
Migration, including Human Trafficking, which includes nine UN
agencies and is chaired by UNESCAP and IOM, can be downloaded from
http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/events/eventAS/cache/offonce?entryId=28163

The GFMD, which will be held in Mexico 8-11 November 2010,
brings together governments and civil society organizations from
around the world to discuss the challenges and opportunities of
international migration.

For further information, please contact:

Chris Lom

IOM Bangkok

Tel: +92.300 852 6357

E-mail: "mailto:clom@iom.int">clom@iom.int