Draft first regional report on the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development

<strong>Draft</strong> <strong>first</strong> <strong>regional</strong> <strong>report</strong> on the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development
Chapter III
• 69. Promote the signing of bilateral and multilateral social security conventions to enable migrant
workers to accumulate years of service.
The Ibero-American Multilateral Agreement on Social Security, ratified by 13 countries in the region
(Argentina, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Paraguay, Peru, the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Uruguay 113 ) is the most important
example of the progress made with respect to this measure. Although an analysis has yet to be made of
progress and the difficulties encountered in the countries that have taken action to implement the Convention
(that is, those mentioned above, except for four which have yet to do so 114 ), the important thing is that this
measure has been included in the zero draft of the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.
Several countries have <strong>report</strong>ed entering into bilateral agreements, based on reciprocity, while others did
not refer to such arrangements. Other agreements are long-established, such as the CARICOM Agreement on
Social Security —covering all the countries of the Caribbean Community apart from Haiti and Suriname—which
has been in force since 1996 and protects the entitlements of migrant workers in the subregion by totalling
all the contributions paid to the respective social security organizations in the member States (Mejía, 2018).
Most countries have yet to <strong>report</strong> on the number of beneficiaries covered by the Ibero-American Multilateral
Agreement or by bilateral agreements. This means that work is still pending for indicator F.5, referring to the
percentage and number of direct beneficiaries covered by the Ibero-American Multilateral Social Security
Convention in each country of immigration in relation to the total number of immigrant workers in the labour force.
• 73. Give priority, in each country, to strengthening coordination channels between sectors and
between countries, to reinforcing intergovernmental cooperation mechanisms in order to guarantee
the exercise of the human rights of all migrants, regardless of their migration status, from a genderbased
perspective;
• 74. Strengthen cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination to address the causes and
challenges of irregular migration, so as to generate safe, orderly, humane migration conditions through
bilateral arrangements for labour force mobility and ensure protection of the human rights of migrants.
As mentioned in the analysis of other measures above, both priority measures are being implemented,
and there is also evidence of numerous coordination and cooperation efforts as regards the agreements and
initiatives of the Regional Conference on Migration and the South American Conference on Migration, as well
as in sub<strong>regional</strong> integration forums. Of particular interest is the fact that these organizations have provided
an example for work at the hemispheric level and within the Latin American and Caribbean community.
This evidence refers to both joint declarations that include guiding principles, establish pension portability
agreements and recognize competencies and qualifications, and protocols on assisting vulnerable persons
—especially women, victims of human trafficking and unaccompanied minors— among others. In its <strong>report</strong>,
Jamaica indicated that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security had undertaken the follow-up of safe and orderly
migration by establishing programmes for circular migrants in countries such as the United States and Canada.
Another clear example of progress is the intended establishment of the Caribbean Migration Consultations
(CMC), as reflected in recent initiatives in which several countries acknowledge the need to compile data,
exchange information and analyse matters related to migration; the need for systematic consultation on
migration policies; and the need to share good practices on refugees and migrants in vulnerable situations.
If it succeeds in setting up a forum for permanent intergovernmental consultation, the Caribbean would be
taking a significant step forward in the sub<strong>regional</strong> governance of migration. In its <strong>report</strong>, Guyana stated such
a willingness, as reflected in its participation in numerous bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements
covering several migratory matters in the context of its strong commitment to sub<strong>regional</strong> integration.
113
See Ibero-American Social Security Organization (OISS), “Convenio Multilateral Iberoamericano de Seguridad Social” [online] http://www.oiss.org/Estado-de-
Situacion.html.
114
Ibid.
135