UNITED NATIONS LEGAL AFFAIRS OFFICE ISSUES BOOK ON MIGRATION-RELATED TREATIES

Migration Focus of Annual United Nations Treaty Event, 13-15 September

NEW YORK, 24 July (UN Office of Legal Affairs) -- Focus 2006: Crossing Borders –- a bilingual book about the treaties being specially promoted for signature and ratification at this year’s treaty event -– becomes available today.  The event, which will take place during the general debate from 13 to 15 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York, will coincide with the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development on 14 and 15 September.

The book is also available online at http://untreaty.un.org/English/treaty.asp.

In the foreword to his report on International Migration and Development that came out in May this year, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed the spirit of both the dialogue and the “Crossing Borders” treaty event.  “…[T]he answers to many of the problems raised by migration may be found through constructive engagement and debate.  This will lead to a broader recognition of the enormous benefits and opportunities that migration provides.”

In his letter inviting delegations to participate in this year’s treaty event, the Secretary-General pointed out, “All countries –- whether countries of origin, transit or destination –- are affected by international migration.  Managing this migration for the benefit of all has become one of the great challenges of our age.”

“The high-level dialogue is an opportunity for Member States to explore the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development and to forge closer cooperation on a range of migration-related issues, many of which are addressed in treaties deposited with me,” he continued.

The 30 treaties covered in the 156-page book, in French and English, cover a broad spectrum of issues: refugees and stateless persons; migrant workers and human rights; human security and trafficking in persons, and firearms; sustainable development, food security and ecological migration; and disarmament and State security.  The book summarizes the objectives and key provisions of each treaty and, lists the Member States who had signed and ratified each as of 1 March 2006.

Trafficking in humans has long been identified as one of the most serious violations of human rights, and in the area of migration, it is easily the most serious crime commonly committed.  The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; and, its Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea, and Air together are an important tool against trafficking.  Adopted in 2000, they have been widely ratified and have been entered into force.

Below is a complete list of treaties included in this year’s event.

For further information, please contact: Treaty Section, Office of Legal Affairs, tel.: 212 963-5047, fax: 212 963-3693, e-mail: treaty@un.org.

Multilateral Treaties featured in the Focus 2006 Treaty Event

Refugees and Stateless Persons

1. Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (Geneva, 28 July 1951)

2. Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (New York, 31 January 1967)

3. Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (New York, 28 September 1954)

4. Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (New York, 30 August 1961)

Migrant Workers and Human Rights

5. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (New York, 18 December 1990)

6. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (New York, 7 March 1966)

7. International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (New York, 16 December 1966)

8. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (New York, 16 December 1966)

9. Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (New York, 16 December 1966)

10. Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (New York, 15 December 1989)

11. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (New York, 18 December 1979)

12. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (New York, 6 October 1999)

13. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (New York, 10 December 1984)

14. Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ( New York, 18 December 2002)

15. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict ( New York, 25 May 2000)

16. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography ( New York, 25 May 2000)

Human Security and Trafficking in Persons and Firearms

17. United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ( New York, 15 November 2000)

18. Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ( New York, 15 November 2000)

19. Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ( New York, 15 November 2000)

20. Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ( New York, 31 May 2001)

21. United Nations Convention against Corruption ( New York, 31 October 2003)

22. Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (Lake Success, New York, 21 March 1950) Final Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (Lake Success, New York, 21 March 1950)

Sustainable Development, Food Security and Ecological Migration

23. Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (New York, 4 August 1995)

24. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (New York, 9 May 1992)

25. Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Kyoto, 11 December 1997)

26. Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 5 June 1992)

27. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity ( Montreal, 29 January 2000)

Disarmament and State Security

28. Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (with Protocols I, II and III) (Geneva, 10 October 1980)

Amendment of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (Geneva, 21 December 2001)

Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices as amended on 3 May 1996 (Protocol II as amended on 3 May 1996) annexed to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (Geneva, 3 May 1996)

Additional Protocol to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (Protocol IV, Entitled Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons) (Vienna, 13 October 1995)

Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (Protocol V) ( Geneva, 28 November 2003)

29. Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Oslo, 18 September 1997)

Recently Adopted Agreements

30. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel ( New York, 8 December 2005)

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For information media • not an official record