|
On November 12-13, 2007, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) held its 29th Annual Forum on the theme of Poverty and Unemployment: The Root Causes of Migration at the ECOWAS Parliament.The forum was hosted by the Senate of Nigeria and the PGANational Group in Nigeria, chaired by Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw (Nigeria). Approximately 100 Parliamentarians from 35 different countries participated in the 2007 Annual Forum together with representatives from several international organizations, embassies, academia and civil society. The Forum was formally opened on November 12, 2007 by H.E. Umaru Musa Yar-Adua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
PGAmembers called for the ratification of conventions conceived to protect human and labor rights of all migrants, regardless of their legal status. In particular, participants urged support for international standards and agreements focused on preventing, eradicating and punishing the trafficking, smuggling and enslavement of human beings. Finally, participants to PGA's 29th Annual Forum called for a dialogue between origin and host countries involving the International Labor Organization, UNAIDS, governments, trade unions and other relevant agencies to establish consensus for treating migrants with HIV/AIDS in accordance with international norms.
The Annual Forum builtupon the success of PGA's 27th Annual Forum, hosted in Dublin, Ireland in 2005 on the subject of Migration, Immigration and Integration. |