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On International Workers Day, (1 May 2008) the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, in partnership with Law Centre (NI), has launched the second edition of a series of invaluable guides to help migrant workers secure their rights in Northern Ireland.
Your Rights in Northern Ireland: A Guide for Migrant Workers provides information to assist migrant workers in understanding their rights and entitlements on a range of issues including housing, employment, education and social protection.
Chief Commissioner Professor Monica McWilliams commented:
“These guides provide an essential tool kit for migrant workers to know their rights in Northern Ireland. Knowledge equals power and having this knowledge may prevent a possible abuse of rights taking place in the work place or elsewhere in Northern Ireland.
"More protection is needed to secure the rights of migrant workers and we believe it is important that the UK Government ratifies the United Nations International Migrant Workers Convention in order to achieve this goal.”
Director of Law Centre (N.I) Les Allamby stated:
“The rights migrant workers have are complex and are a combination of domestic and European law and the particular circumstances of the individual and his or her family. The guides are not only aimed at migrant workers but also at the organisations that deliver public services.
"It is vital migrant workers get access to the public services they are entitled to. Migrant workers pay tax and national insurance and should therefore expect to receive their entitlements to services and support. These guides will hopefully make sure that happens.”
The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1990; defines a "migrant worker" as a person who is, or has been, "engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national". Migrant workers include those who have moved voluntarily in search of economic opportunities, refugees and asylum-seekers who are in paid employment in countries other than their own, and people trafficked for the purpose of labour exploitation.
The second edition incorporates changes in the law that have taken place since the guides were first published. Guides are available in English, Portuguese, Tetum (Timorese), Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Chinese and Slovakian and are available to download at the websites of both organisations www.nihrc.org and www.lawcentreni.org.
The annual trade union parade through Belfast taking place on 3 May will also be used as an opportunity to publicise the guides.
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