"Migrants are the targets of unjust
policies." These policies, to the detriment of
universally recognized human rights, create opposition
among human beings using discriminatory policies, based
on national preference, ethnic, religious affiliation and
gender.
These policies are imposed by conservative and
hegemonic systems, which seek to maintain their
privileges by exploiting the physical and intellectual
skills of the migrant work force. These policies use the
extravagant prerogatives permitted by the arbitrary power
of the Nation-State and the global domination system
inherited from colonialism and deportation. This system
is out of date, obsolete and generates crimes against
humanity. This is the reason why it should be
abolished.
Security policies implemented by Nation-States imply
that migration is a problem and a threat even though
migration is a natural, historical fact, complex, of
course, but far from being a calamity for the country of
residence, often constituting an invaluable economic,
social and cultural contribution.
Migrants are everywhere deprived of the full exercise
of their right to freedom of movement and installation on
our planet.
They are also deprived of their rights to peace as
well as their economic, social, cultural, civic and
political rights which are guaranteed by various
international conventions.
Only a broad alliance of migrants will be able to
promote the emergence of new rights for every person from
birth without distinction of origin, color, sex, or
belief. To do this, this alliance of migrants must enable
them to contribute to the construction of a new social
and economic policy based on ethical principles.. It
should also allow them to contribute to a remaking of the
concept of territoriality and the current dominant global
governance pattern based on its economic and ideological
system.
This is why we, migrants of all the world, from the
proposals we have received since 2006 and after a broad
discussion on a global scale, adopt the present World
Charter of Migrants.
Our ambition is to advance from the situations faced
by migrants in the world to the right to move and settle
freely on our planet and to contribute to the
construction of a world without walls.
To do this, we, migrants who have left our region or
country, under duress or by our own volition and live
permanently or temporarily in another part of the world,
met on 3 and 4 February 2011 on the island of
Gorée in Senegal
We
proclaim
Because we belong to the Earth, every person has the
right to choose his place of residence, of staying
where she lives or to move and settle freely without
constraints in any part of this world..
Any person, without exception, has the right to
move freely from the countryside to the city, from
the city to the countryside, from one province to
another. Every person has the right to leave any country
to another and return.
All provisions and restrictions limiting the freedom
of movement and installation should be repealed (laws
relating to visas, pass-laws and permissions, and all
other laws relating to freedom of movement).
Migrant people around the world should enjoy the
same rights as nationals and citizens of the country of
residence or transit and assume the same
responsibilities in all key areas of economic, political,
cultural, social and educational life. They must have the
right to vote and to be eligible for any legislative
bodies at the local, regional, and national level and to
assume their responsibilities until the end of the
mandate.
Migrant persons shall have the right to speak and
share their mother tongue, to develop and publicize
their cultures and their traditional customs, with the
exception of any damage to the physical and moral
integrity of individuals and respect for human rights.
Migrant persons shall have the right to practice their
religion and their ceremonies.
Migrants should enjoy the right to have a business
where they wish, to engage in work or any business or
profession in the same way as the citizens of the home
and transit countries in order to assume their share of
responsibility in the production of wealth necessary for
the development and wellbeing of all.
Work and security must be provided to all
migrants. Anyone who works must be free to join a
trade union with others. Migrants must receive an
equal salary for equal work, and must have the
possibility to transfer the fruits of their work, social
benefits and to enjoy retirement, without any
restrictions. All this, while contributing to the system
of solidarity to the residence or transit country.
Access of the services of banks and financial
institutions shall be provided to all migrant people in
the same way that they are accorded to nationals and
citizens of the host country.
Everyone has the right to land, be they men or
women. Earth must be divided between those who live and
work there. Use and land ownership restrictions for
national, ethnic and gender reasons must be abolished in
favor of a new vision of the relationship between humans
and the Earth, and in compliance with the requirements of
sustainable development.
Migrants, in the same way as nationals and citizens
of the country of residence or transit, shall be equal
before the law. No person shall be sequestered,
imprisoned, deported or restricted until his case is
fairly heard and defended in a language of his
choice.
Migrants have the right to physical integrity
and not to be harassed, deported, persecuted, arbitrarily
arrested or killed because of their status or because
they are defending their rights.
Any law which provides for discrimination based on
national origin, gender, marital status or legal
situation as well as beliefs should be repealed, whatever
the status of the person.
Human rights are inalienable and indivisible and must
be the same for all. The law must ensure to all migrant
people the right to freedom of expression, the
right to organize, the right to freedom of
Assembly, as well as the right to publish.
Access to care and medical assistance must be
guaranteed to all migrant people in the same way as to
nationals and citizens of countries of reception and
transit, with special attention to vulnerable people. A
migrant person living with a disability must be
guaranteed the right to health, social and cultural
rights.
The law must guarantee to all migrants the right to
choose their partner, to found a family and to live a
family life. Family reunification may not be denied and a
person cannot be separated or kept away from their
children.
Women, especially, must be protected against all forms
of violence and trafficking. They have the right to
control their own bodies and to reject the exploitation
thereof. They should enjoy reinforced protection of
labor, maternal and child health conditions, as well as
in the case of changes in their legal and marital
status
Minor migrants must be protected by the national laws
on protection of children in the same way as nationals
and citizens of countries of residence and transit. The
right to education and training must be guaranteed.
Access to education and instruction, from
pre-school to higher education should be guaranteed for
migrants and their children. The education must be free
and equal for all children. Higher education and
technical training must be accessible to all in a new
vision of dialogue and the sharing of cultures. In
cultural life, sports and education, any distinction
based on national origin must be abolished.
Migrants must have right to housing. Any person
shall have the right to live in the place of his choice,
to be decently housed and to have access to property as
well as keeping his family in the comfort and safety in
the same way as nationals and citizens of home and
transit countries.
All migrants must be guaranted the right to sufficient
and healthy food and the right of access to water.
Migrant people wish to have opportunities and
responsibilities, in the same way as nationals and
citizens of home and transit countries to face together
the challenges (housing, food, health and
development).
"We, migrants, are committed to
respect and promote the values and principles expressed
above and thus contribute to the disappearance of any
system of segregation and the advent of a responsible,
plural and United World."
