Living in the shadows: a primer on the human rights of migrants

The primer seeks to articulate AI’s key message to the public, policy-makers and other actors: migrants’ rights are human rights. Accordingly, AI calls on campaigners, advocates and other activists to concentrate on eight key priority areas when promoting migrants’ rights:1. focus on those migrants most at risk – irregular migrants, migrant women and migrant children2. call for ratification and implementation of core human rights and labour rights treaties, in particular the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (the Migrant Workers’ Convention)3. demand greater accountability of state and non-state actors at international, regional and national levels4. call for migration policies that protect human rights5. call for more research and better data6. place migrants and their communities at the centre of debates on migration; recognize and ensure their role in formulating and implementing strategies to protect their rights7. protect human rights defenders working to protect and promote the human rights of migrants8. increase public awareness of migrants’ rights and their positive contributions to society.