20 - 26 November 2017 - 16-min

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20 - 26 November, 2017
T
H
World
UN Presses Asia Pacific to Support
Migrant Worker Rights, Reform
he United Nations says Asia Pacific
countries need to address issues
surrounding the rights of migrant workers
as international talks move toward a Global
Compact on migrant labor.
The Global Compact’s rise, with a final
agreement set for 2018, was a result of the
migrant crisis faced by the European Union
with the influx of refugees and migrants
from North Africa since 2015.
The U.N.’s Special Representative on
migrant labor, Louise Arbour, says states
can no longer ignore the issues of labor
migration in a globalized economy.
“It has become increasingly clear that
globalization has opened up more
opportunities for people to migrate and that
it has been in everybody’s interest not to
curtail migration, actually, but to facilitate
safe, orderly, regular migration,” Arbour
told VOA.
Arbour, a Canadian lawyer and jurist, is
overseeing the international consultations
setting the framework for the draft document
to be negotiated among U.N. member states.
40 countries involved
Talks in Bangkok included representatives
from more than 40 countries, including
officials, academics and civil society,
providing input into the final document.
The meeting called for migrant labor to
have access to regular and safe migration
opportunities, to be protected by labor laws
as well as social protection.
U.N. Under Secretary General Shamshad
Akhtar told the conference migrant rights
were overlooked with their contributions
“going unrecognized.”
www.NewDelhiTimes.com
“Migrants are often poorly paid, concentrated
in labor work, employed in low skill jobs
and in the informal sector requiring difficult
and sometimes dangerous physical labor,”
Akhtar said. “Addressing these challenges
directly is all the more critical.”
Millions of migrant workers
In Asia and the Pacific there is estimated
to be more than 60 million migrants living
in the region, with more than 100 million
originating from its shores working abroad.
Nepal and the Philippines are prime
examples of countries heavily dependent on
income from funds sent by migrant workers.
In 2017 remittances from migrant labor is
forecast to inject almost $276 billion into the
region’s economies.
Vulnerabilities
A U.N. report released to coincide with
the Bangkok meeting detailed the issues of
migrants’ vulnerabilities to “exploitation and
abuse” that governments need to address.
“The human rights of migrants face
significant risks throughout the migration
process by recruitment agents, employers
and others,” the report said.
The report added that women migrant
workers “face particular risks,” especially
those in domestic work. “These risks are
even more acute for migrants in an irregular
situation.”
The Global Compact aims to build on
existing conventions related to the protection
of the rights of all migrant workers and
conventions of the International Labour
Organization (ILO). Arbour said the Global
Compact “should be helpful in putting
together better interstate cooperation to
facilitate safer and more orderly migration
flows.”
But she said challenges remain. These
include reducing extravagant recruitment
costs, lowering the cost of transfers of
remittances, portability of benefits, specific
protection for migrants, women workers and
children.
Key to greater protection
Arbour said the Global Compact is a key step
to greater protection for migrant workers.
“In some cases we will continue to see a lot
of bilateral agreements or multilateral, very
regional agreements with, I hope, much,
much better implementation of existing
human rights and labor standards.” “So it’s
not the end of the road, but I think it’s going
to propel much, much better international
cooperation and policy to deal particularly
labor related migration,” Arbour said.
A global compact for safe, orderly and
regular migration, is set for final acceptance
at the U.N. in New York by late 2018.
Credit : Voice of America (VOA)
FBI: Hate Crimes Increased by 4.6
Percent in 2016
ate crimes in the United States rose
moderately last year, with hatemotivated
incidents against several target
groups, including Arabs, Muslims and
transgender people, showing sharper
increases, according to the Federal Bureau
of Investigation.
The FBI’s annual hate crime statistics
showed there were 6,121 hate crime
incidents in 2016, up 4.6 percent from 5,850
in 2015.
The rise marked the first time since 2004 that
hate crime in the United States has increased
two years in a row. In 2015, hate crime rose
by seven percent.
The latest overall figure included sharper
spikes in hate crimes targeting several
minority groups.
Photo Credit : Shutterstock
Anti-transgender hate crime jumped by 44
percent, anti-Arab incidents surged by 38
percent, anti-Muslim hate crime rose 19.5
percent, anti-white hate crime increased
17.5 percent, and anti-Latino hate-motivated
incidents jumped by 15 percent.
Anti-Jewish incidents rose by three percent,
anti-black hate crime fell by 0.3 percent and
anti-Asian offenses remained flat, the report
showed.
The FBI defines a hate crime as a criminal
offense motivated by “ bias against
race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual
orientation, disability, gender, and gender
identity”
The bureau has been tracking hate crime
data since 1992.
Last year, the bureau started including hate
crime against Arabs, Hindus, and Sikhs.
There were seven anti-Sikh incidents, up
from six; 10 anti-Hindu hate crimes, up from
five, and 105 anti-transgender hate crimes,
up from 73.
The FBI’s hate crime statistics lag by about a
year and widely believed to underreport the
extent of hate crimes in America.
Data from California State University at
San Bernardino indicate that hate crime
has continued to rise in major U.S. cities in
2017.
Credit : Voice of America (VOA)
NEW DELHI TIMES
Slovenia’s president
wins second term in
S
runoff election
lovenia’s President Borut Pahor was
re-elected to a second term after
winning a runoff election against a former
comedian who currently serves as the mayor
of a northern town.
Pahor, 54, a veteran politician known as the
“King of Instagram” for his frequent use of
social media, won 53 percent of the vote
to challenger Marjan Sarec’s 47 percent,
results from Slovenian election authorities
showed after a completed preliminary count.
Pahor thanked voters and vowed to
further boost their faith in democracy.
He congratulated his opponent for his
performance.
“I will be a president of all,” Pahor said.
“I’ll bring people together and build on what
brings us closer.”
Pahor is only the second Slovenian president
to win a second term in office since the
country gained independence from the
former Yugoslavia in 1991.
The country of 2 million people in Central
Europe is the birthplace of U.S. first lady
Melania Trump and known for its Alpine
mountains and lakes. A former model like
the U.S. first lady, the telegenic, blue-eyed
politician has held a number of public posts
and was Slovenia’s prime minister before he
first was elected president in 2012.
Sarec was a well-known satirical comedian
before entering politics in 2010 to run for
mayor in Kamnik. He conceded defeat and
congratulated Pahor, but said his success
as a relative political newcomer showed
Slovenian citizens wanted change. “I’m
proud to have had a possibility to run against
the premiere league,” Sarec said at his
headquarters in Kamnik. “My result is good.
It speaks for itself.”
Analysts had warned that Sarec’s ability to
make it into the runoff showed Slovenians’
discontent with established politicians.
Critics accused Pahor of avoiding taking
stands on important issues.
Election authorities said less than 42 percent
of eligible voters cast ballots in the election.
Slovenia’s official STA news agency says
that’s the lowest turnout for a presidential
race since Slovenia split from the former
Yugoslavia in 1991.
Key topics facing Slovenia include the
economy, a border dispute with Croatia and
the future of the European Union, which
Slovenia joined in 2004.
Slovenia’s presidency carries no executive
powers, but the office-holder proposes a
prime minister and his or her opinion on
important issues holds weight. Pahor and
Sarec, while both centrists, clashed on
issues such as the privatization of Slovenia’s
biggest bank and the composition of the
country’s anti-corruption body.
After voting, Pahor complained that he has
been falsely viewed as a populist — which
he says he is not — while Sarec was trying
to assume the role of a “statesman.” Pahor
suggested that the “change of roles” cost
him public support.
In his victory speech, Pahor, who has sought
to portray himself as a unifier president, also
said that he will strive to help solve problems
and bridge any divisions that might exist in
the Slovenian society.
Credit : Associated Press (AP)